Napier's Palmers Garden Centre closes suddenly

Palmers Garden Centre in Napier is now closed. Cafe Bottanix, on the same site, remains open. Photo / File

A long-standing site in the Palmers Garden Centre chain has closed suddenly in Napier with expectations it won't reopen on the same site.

Established about 20 years ago, the centre in Taradale Rd near the roundabout intersection with the Hawke's Bay Expressway, closed its doors "as of Monday", clients and customers have been told.

It was one of more than a dozen run by individual franchisees under the Palmers Garden Centre, Palmers Plantworld and Palmers Planet names throughout the North Island.

A statement from Palmers Franchise Systems general manager Rod de Vries said: "We are extremely disappointed that the store has been unable to remain open, but are optimistic that we can find a new location and new franchisees to open another store in the region in the future."

The closure does not involve other centres in the Palmers network, and Cafe Botannix which runs as a separate franchise on the Palmers site continues to operate — "very much open", its Facebook page says.

Refunds are available to people with Palmers gift cards with outstanding funds, or the cards can be used at other Palmers stores.

The Napier store has had at least two franchisees over the years.

The name stems from a nursery established in 1912 in Glen Eden, Auckland, by Arthur William Palmer. The family established what was billed as the first "modern-style" garden centre in 1958, leading to the establishment of a franchise operation.

Over the years the franchising had several changes of ownership, and since 2006 Palmers Franchise Systems has come under the umbrella of United Franchise Systems.
Representatives of Palmers were understood to have been at the site yesterday.