Victoria Sampson of CooperBurnett (left) with Tammy Woodhouse, managing director of Millbrook

by business editor Trevor Sturgess

A garden centre has planted the seeds of further growth by snapping up another thanks to prompt legal help.

CooperBurnett, based in Tunbridge Wells, advised the family-owned Millbrook Garden Company on its purchase of Highgrove Garden Centre in Marden.

Millbrook was established in 1979 and is based in Crowborough. It also operates a garden centre in Gravesend.

"We are pleased to welcome Highgrove into the Millbrook family," said managing director Tammy Woodhouse. "As a long standing, family-run business, Highgrove will fit well with the Millbrook ethos and complements the existing Millbrook garden centres very well. We look forward to working together."

The deal took two weeks from the initial meeting through to completion. The CooperBurnett team was led by partner Victoria Sampson, while partner Jon Rowe dealt with the property side of the acquisition.

"We were delighted to work with Millbrook on this acquisition," said Victoria. "It's a really positive move for the company and it's great for them to have a third garden centre. The acquisition brings with it lots of opportunity for Millbrook to continue growing and developing."