Welland Vale Garden Inspirations is a family run garden centre located on Glaston Road in Uppingham. Today, they open their brand new deli and celebrate the reopening of The Orchard Café.
Welland Vale Garden Inspirations is somewhere I visit almost weekly. Since lockdown, I've found it the most accessible and stress-free place to visit right on my doorstep with a fantastic one-way system and clear social distancing markers which has helped towards creating such a calm and enjoyable shopping environment, it has been somewhere I've gravitated to for shopping for my home and garden.
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2020 has been quite the year, but a positive has to be that more and more people are shopping locally. Welland Vale Garden Inspirations is now a one-stop-shop for not only everything for your garden but also items for you home, giftware, alfresco dining equipment and so much more.
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The deli (located in The Orchard Café area of the garden centre) offers something for everyone including #ShopLocal produce and stock carefully selected by Annie and Charlie supporting independent and family ran businesses like themselves.
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The deli is a fantastic addition to the café and Welland Vale Garden Inspirations is the perfect destination for a wonderful afternoon out for all the family to enjoy - and the dog too!
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I interviewed Annie Burns (who runs Welland Vale Garden Inspirations) to find out a little more about the deli, the café, the garden centre and the plans for the future.
Take a read...
Thank you so much for sharing this exciting news on the blog! As a family-run business in Uppingham, it’s been quite the family occasion getting the deli ready for opening with all hands on deck!
Please tell us more about the family involvement and the planning and preparation that has gone into today’s opening?
Annie: My partner Charlie and I run Welland Vale Garden Inspirations having taken over from my parents Trevor and Tessa Burns. We work closely as a family on the big decisions and all play a vital role in the development of the centre. We are a very hands-on family and during this project, we have taken on challenges from hand polishing the oak floors to bespoke carpentry and fitting the new cake display fridges. We have been months in the planning and it’s great to finally see it all coming together. We have always wanted to offer a deli at the garden centre, and now it's here!
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The inspiration behind the particular items chosen to sell/feature in the deli is to support and encourage shopping locally and support small and independently ran business - please tell us more about how you came to find and choose the stock and which local and independent businesses you chose and why?
Annie: We love to do things a bit differently and to have a refreshing change. We also like to support to smaller company’s that our support makes a big difference to, just like us. We wanted to offer our support to the many local and independent business especially in a very hard time like the present. Rutland and the surrounding area is bursting with brilliant people creating amazing things, so we wanted to bring these together in one place. It’s taken us a long time sourcing the best we can find, along with lots of food tastings (someone had to do it!) to finalise our chosen suppliers.
All these businesses are either local or family run and have a real hands-on approach to their running. Some of the suppliers include Brentingby Gin, Kings Cliffe Bakery for their delicious bread and sweet treats, Multum Gin Parvo, Bat and Bottle Wines for their handpicked selection of fine wine, Just So Italian for their authentic Italian produce, March House Farm - a second-generation farm where everything is produced in-house, Lincolnshire Poacher cheeses for a wide selection, Brockleby Pies for their deep filled and a wide variety of flavours, Bisbrooke Artisan for their tasty sourdough and pizzas, Pickled Village for their unique chutneys and jams - to name but a few.
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But it’s not just the deli that’s reopening, is it? The Orchard cafe also opens it’s door today with a fantastic family-friendly alfresco seating/dining area, please tell what our readers can expect for their first visit to the all-new Orchard Cafe & Deli and the garden centre itself?
Annie: We are very excited to see all the staff back ready for opening the deli and of course, the return of the café. To all our regulars though, fear not! Your favourite cakes and drinks will all be ready and waiting for you! Service will now be a little different to keep us in line with governments advice and to protect our staff and customers as much as possible. We are now offering a full table service inside and outside in the courtyard. Our menu has reduced slightly to allow the safe running of our kitchen but more is available for takeaway too. Unfortunately, our 'wiggly works soft play' can not reopen at this time, but will definitely be back!
The garden centre has been busy since reopening and many feedback from customers say it's 'one of the safest places they have been to the shop'. Restocking of things in the garden centre has been tricky across the industry but we are doing our best to source where we can and of course, we grow many of the plants here on our 5-acre nursery.
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The garden centre is now a one-stop-shop destination with something for everyone, please tell us more about what Welland Vale Garden Centre offers throughout the year for the whole family and why our readers will love visiting the centre that’s right on their doorstep?
Annie: It’s not just in the deli where we like to be a bit different. Our site is rather unusual for a garden centre and we try to use this to our advantage. With lots of outdoor space to wonder (plus a large car park) the plants are happy and healthy and in their best environment to inspire you. We of course also offer all you need to grow and accessorise your garden space, no matter how big or small. Garden furniture, water features, pots, mirrors and wall art have been a big part of this year's purchases, as well as the very trendy houseplants! We also offer handpicked giftware, cards and wrapping paper as well, and a range of children’s wellies and toys too. Christmas (sorry to mention so early!) is also a favourite for us with inspirational displays, fresh trees and wreaths. However, exactly how Santa may visit this year has yet to be determined, but we'll keep you updated.
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Thank you so much for inviting me to feature this truly exciting new addition to Uppingham. Finally - my favourite question... What does it mean to you to run a business in Rutland, what are your favourite things about living/working in the area and are there any other exciting plans for the future of Welland Vale Garden Inspirations?
Annie: As a proud Rutland family, we feel very fortunate to be in the heart of such a wonderful community and spectacular place. The kindness showed by the small Rutland community in the past 5 months have been truly humbling. It’s nice to see so many warm and friendly faces coming back through the doors once again. The community is definitely the best part. We also love to see what people have been creating with our products and what joy they can bring.
Due to the pandemic, unfortunately, not all of this year's plans have happened but we will continue to bring these through when we can. We have keen and local people approaching us regularly to work together - so as for the next project - watch this space.
Glaston Road, Uppingham, Rutland, LE15 9EU
T: 01572 822729 E: retail@wellandvale.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/WellandValeGardenInspirations Twitter: www.twitter.com/wellandvaleGI Instagram: www.instagram.com/welland_vale_garden_centre www.wellandvalegardeninspirations.co.uk
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