The Old Railway Line Garden Centre has received a national award for the standard of its customer service.

The centre, located in Three Cocks between Brecon and Hay-on-Wye, secured the coveted title of 'Best Customer Service in the UK' this week, courtesy of the Garden Centre Association (GCA). The announcement was made during the annual GCA conference hosted at the De Vere Cotswold Water Park Hotel, near Cirencester.

Liam Cleary, the Garden Retail Director, said: "The recognition of being named the 'best in the UK' for our customer service is a brilliant feeling. Our team consistently prioritises creating enjoyable experiences for our customers, and to receive national acclaim for these efforts is absolutely fantastic."

Adding to the accolades, Mr Cleary continued, "Achieving 'Centre of Excellence' status for another year is also testament to our ongoing commitment to maintaining and elevating standards. Our continuous hunger to improve underscores our dedication to excellence. Inclusion in the prestigious list of the 'Top 10 Garden Centres' in the UK is a gratifying acknowledgment of the hard work invested by everyone. A heartfelt thank you goes out to our incredible team, whose tireless efforts ensure the centre is always at its best."

Old Railway Line - centre of excellence
The garden centre also achieving 'Centre of Excellence' status for another year (Image supplied)

Catering Director, Shaunagh Clary added: “We were also rewarded for our Environmental and Sustainability efforts, finishing 2nd in the UK for the criteria set out by the GCA. We are passionate about the environment and ways we can reduce our impact, as well as spread positive initiatives and ideas to customers. From solar panels, rainwater harvesting, recycling and more, we are always looking at ways we can improve and contribute further.”

Peter Burks, Chief Executive of the GCA, said: “We had a joyous evening celebrating our overall champion of champions and our ‘Garden Centres of Excellence’ winners. They have all demonstrated tremendous tenacity, hard work, and passion, and couldn’t be more deserving of these accolades.”

The Garden Centre Association, representing over 200 garden centres across the nation, determines the annual awards based on the outcomes of unannounced inspections conducted at all GCA-affiliated garden centres. These inspections are carried out without prior notice.

For further details about the Old Railway Line Garden Centre, please visit www.oldrailwaylinegc.co.uk or contact 01497847055.