Marlows Home & Garden in Bury St Edmunds has started work on a £1m redevelopment which will see it increase its workforce for 50%.

The company, which operats from a 3.5 acre site in Hollow Road, has been trading since 1982 but was acquired last year by new owners, the Dilley family, who plan to invest to take the business forward.

Marlows currently employs 40 people and is looking to recruit a further 20 staff as part of its growth plans.

James Dilley, managing director, who knows Bury well from childhood visits to his grandparents, said: “I know how much people around Bury love the outdoors and the fabulous gardens people produce and care for. It’s a real privilege to be part of that.”

He added: “We’ve had a good look at the best garden centres in the country and we are aiming to bring the best of those ideas to Bury St Edmunds.

“It’s really important that Marlows is an exciting place to be, enjoy and shop for all the family. We are working hard to achieve that.”

Pleydell Smithyman, a specialist design and business consultancy to the garden centre industry, has been retained to advise and lead the overall re-development of the centre.

Andrew Hughes of Pleydells said: “We are delighted to have been appointed for this most exciting development. We aim to encompass the best elements of modern garden centres with a fresh, innovative and welcoming approach that both builds on Marlows proud reputation and defines a new era moving forward.”

Key to the redevelopment is an enlarged 180-seat café, with a new kitchen and on-site bakery.

However, plants and everything needed to create and enjoy a garden will be at the heart of Marlows, and this will be reflected in the use of natural materials and organic designs within the re-development reflect that.

There will also be a pets and aquatics centre and the retail offer will also include home and giftware.

Sarah Williams, director at Marlows, said: “We are all very excited to be taking Marlows forward. It’s always been a special place in Bury and the new look is going to make it a fantastic garden centre for all the family. I think people will be really surprised by the new look and I believe delighted too.”

The main building and café will be ready for Christmas and the garden and plant area for Easter 2017. The pets and aquatics centre will follow shortly after.

Marlows will remain open throughout the redevelopment, with this year’s Christmas decorations and festivities promised to be “something extra special”.