A popular family-run business said it is ready to serve up excellent customer service and tasty homemade food after taking over Sidmouth Garden Centre.

Richard and Niki King, of Kings Garden and Leisure, faced tough competition to take on the ownership of the former Wyevale Garden Centre, after the business announced it would be selling all of its 145 centres.

The King family have run their Exmouth garden centre for 14 years and said the Stowford site was ‘perfect’ for what they wanted.

The couple, who are parents to Ethan, Brandon and Georgia, signed the dotted line last Monday, picked up the keys on Friday and opened the store the following day.

Speaking to the Herald about their first week, Richard said: “We are excited by this opportunity to bring a vibrant family-run garden centre to Sidmouth.

“We like to offer excellent customer service, real variety and value in our range and a brilliant restaurant and coffee shop.

“It’s been humbling in lots of ways, people have been coming in with cards or sending emails that they are glad a local family business is taking it over.”

As part of the takeover, all of the staff employed at the garden centre have been retained.

Richard said: “ It’s a fabulous location and it’s just unique. It’s perfect for what we want.

“We provide what people want. It keeps the money in the community. When customers shop here that money stays locally, it goes down the line and employs people locally.

“It’s not something that is going to change overnight but it will come over the time and we will put our stamp on it.”

The couple, who live near Sidmouth, pride themselves on also serving top-notch homemade food to bring in hungry customers from miles around.

Niki said “We’ll be working closely with the team at Sidmouth to keep the handover as smooth as possible and we hope that customers will come and visit us.

“It’s been very positive this week; we are excited about our second venture and looking forward to it.

“We live locally and are a part of the community. We are buying off local suppliers, a honey farm a mile down the road and other local products.

“People come miles for the food and we look to replicate it in Sidmouth.”