Honiton’s newest garden centre will officially open its doors on December 1 after a small delay pushed back the original date by a month.
The build of Combe Garden Centre is being overseen by former Sidmouth Garden Centre manager James Trevett, who said the store is ‘99 per cent’ built, with an internal fit-out underway.
Mr Trevett said: “At the moment the pace has really picked up on site.
“We have been working hard to make sure we deliver a high standard so our future customers can really enjoy their shopping experience with us.
“Last week, the toilets were being fitted and hopefully the exterior plants area will be completely concreted and ready for the arrival of the plant stands.
“During November we will be on site stocking the shop and making sure it’s all ready for a December opening.
“We lost a couple weeks as the window fitters had been held up during summer holidays fitting out a school - that put the rest of the build back a bit.”
The build of the Gittisham-based garden centre has experienced lengthy delays after site excavation works unearthed a section of a Bronze Age settlement dating back more than 3,000 years.
Large postholes believed to represent the former gateway to the enclosure and the remains of roundhouses were unearthed by builders.
The important historical find came more than 20 years after the enclosed settlement was discovered during works to build the A30.
As a result, the garden centre did not open in April as originally proposed, with Mr Trevett earmarking November as the new date.
He said: “The build has gone fairly smoothly and the local teams involved are all doing a fantastic job.
“Apart from the archaeological finds at the very start there have been no real hiccups.
“I’m planning on now picking out all the very best products from local and national suppliers to make sure we offer all you need from a local garden centre.
“In December we will be doing a big Christmas push with bargain Christmas trees and a huge house plant display.
“I honestly can’t wait to open the doors and start trading on December 1.
“It’s been a long project in the making and I’m now starting to feel very proud of what the estate has built.”
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