EXCITING NEW DEVELOPMENTS

THE FAMOUS EDINBURGH WOOLLEN MILL IS NOW OPEN HERE AT MERE PARK GARDEN CENTRE

http://www.ewm.co.uk

Two new companies have now opened the shops for business in our craft village area.

The Back 2 bay 6 shop was opened mid September and they stock garden railways, models and accesories.

The other shop is Apocalypse games and they opened at the end of September,  which specialise in table top minature war games and model kits.

A new free bus service bringing shoppers from High Street to Mere Park was unveiled yesterday.

After months in the planning, Mere Park Garden Centre owner, David Brierley, struck a deal with Arriva to offer the free service in a bid to get shoppers to the garden centre, as well as High Street.

The bus will operate as the normal 481 service and pick people up from High Street and leave them on Stafford Road, from 9.30am – 3.30pm, every half hour, seven days a week.

Mr Brierley also revealed this week that if the scheme is successful, next year Arriva will look at getting the bus into the Mere Park site.

With the town’s car parks very busy during the week and at weekends, it is expected that punters will use the car park at the garden centre and get the bus into town.

Launching the venture, Mr Brierley said he hopes it will do wonders for trade in town, as well as the garden centre.

“When the car parking charges were introduced we noticed our car parks filled up so we know people are willing to walk or get the bus into town.

“And with a lot of spaces filled with staff from shops, customers will know they can get parked and come into town for free.

“We have had some excellent feedback from customers and traders in town and we really want to work with the shops on the high street.

“It’s a two way thing and I hope our customers go to them as much as their customers come to us.

“We are only 900 yards away from the town centre, so it is a very convenient service and we would encourage people to use public transport, rather than drive,” said Mr Brierley.

At the launch yesterday, Town Mayor Councillor Roy Scammell said: “I hope this is going to pull shoppers from Mere Park into the town centre.

“Mere Park gets people coming from Stafford, Cannock, Wolverhampton and other areas so I’m hoping the new service will bring those people into town and help our town centre.”

Chamber of Commerce chairman, Mark Freeman, said: “Our view is that it’s a good thing.

“I know there will be some concern from High Street that it’s going to take people out of town to Mere Park but I think if you look at the problems with shoppers trying to park in town, it’s going to be good to get people into Newport.

“It a whole other market that would not come into the town centre if the service was not there.

“It’s mutually beneficial and it’s important that we join everything up in Newport.”

By Jason Lavan

Here at Mere Park Garden Centre we Thank You for your support throughout 2009 and look forward to providing you with a standard of service and products that you have come to expect.

We have been busy with sourcing new product ranges that are expanding every week with new products for you to chose, with a team trip to Italy to source Plant ranges and we’re really excited to announce that these are now in store for you to purchase.

Summer 2010 we hope you will be excited as us, we have  new Summer ranges and the superb Weber BBQ’s will as always be one of our main feature products in the Summer 2010 ranges.

We now have in store a collection of new Children’s Pocket Party presents making great small but unique gifts for Birthdays. We are also expanding this range with a dedicated Children’s Toy Area.. again perfect gifts. Don’t forget we have an extensive range of Birthday Cards and Wrapping Paper to complete your purchase.

Mere Park Garden Centre is coming into it’s 6th Year and we’ve got lots of new exciting developments from a new Premier Inn Hotel and Beefeater Restaurant on site, due for completion Summer 2009. New retail outlets will also be joining us, developing retail area on the garden centre site.

The new access point to the garden centre off the A41 has already been created and customers now can use this entrance direct into the Garden Centre and is already sign posted for easy access.

Due to the success of the existing Craft units at Mere Park Centre we are now expanding the new Craft Village. New units are being built to form a dedicated craft village at the garden centre.

Anyone interested in the opportunity of renting a craft hut should contact Mere Park Garden Centre on 01952 813500 for further information.