ONE of the north's longest established family-owned garden centres has reported an "unprecedented" rise in sales over the Easter period. The upturn at Hillmount's Belfast and Bangor centres comes as the business celebrates its 75th anniversary, having been a feature in the Castlereagh landscape since 1940.
The fourth generation managing director Alan Mercer said: "Garden furniture and barbecue sales have increased 40 per cent year on year. In fact, two ranges of garden furniture actually sold out less than a week after the shipment arrived with us. "We've also seen a massive rise in the demand for gas barbecues this spring too, with gas outselling charcoal by five to one."
An exhibition charting the history of the Mercer-owned family business (www.hillmount.co.uk) is running until September 1.