A cash-strapped garden centre is set for a £3 million overhaul complete with a larger restaurant in a bid to attract more customers.

Grovewell Folkestone Garden Centre’s revamp will also see a fresh courtyard, alongside a new car park, children’s play area, and 40 more jobs.

With stores in Tenterden, Canterbury and Hamstreet near Ashford, the family-run chain hopes modernizing its Swingfield Minnis branch will help make money.

Owner Edward Boult said: “It’s already quite a busy store, but the facilities are very dated and, to be honest, I have struggled to make a profit there.

“But I think that with these changes, it will make everything more efficient for us, and with that it will make the whole operation easier.

“We want it to be a quality garden centre of nice appearance. I’m sure it will be well-received by the local community.

“It’s been a long haul and we are obviously very happy.”

Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) planning chiefs recently greenlit the scheme after Grovewell bosses argued the move would help safeguard the site’s future.

“In its current form, the garden centre’s ability to operate into the longer term and remain competitive as a business is highly restricted due to its current layout, small car park, and the condition of the buildings,” they wrote in planning papers.

Now, the overhaul will see old facilities upgraded and new ones built from scratch.

A car park will provide spaces for 145 cars, 10 motorcycles and 22 bikes, with a new storage building and delivery area.

Previous plans to update the Canterbury Road site included proposals to build five new homes opposite the store.

Mr Boult previously hoped to cash in on the houses to help finance the garden centre’s upgrades.

But following a strong public backlash the businessman dropped the plans, instead opting to secure outline permission for commercial stables to be built nearby.

Commenting on the most recent upgrade scheme at a planning and licensing committee meeting last week, Cllr Clive Goddard praised the firm’s tenacity.

“It looks like this application ticks all the boxes,” commented the Conservative.

“It’s all positive - a small business surviving what’s been a tough few years.

“And it’s got employment written all over it.”

The workforce could be boosted from 23 staff to 60, according to planning documents, which state renovations to the sales floor and on-site restaurant will attract more customers.

“Garden centres are evolving into a place to go for a day out, and the on-site restaurant is a big part of that,” Mr Boult said after the meeting.

“We already have a cafe at the Folkestone store, serving light lunches, and main meals but we will now be able to make it bigger.”

With renovation works also underway at Grovewell’s Hamstreet Garden Centre near Ashford, Mr Boult says it is unlikely the plans for its Folkestone’s location will come to fruition before next summer.