We caught up with the lovely team at Gates Garden Centre, who are our Stockist of the Month for March! Read all about their garden centre, which is situated in a beautiful rural village between Melton Mowbray and Oakham, not too far from Sophie Allport HQ!
Tell us a little bit about your shop…
Set in a beautiful rural location on the county boundary between Leicestershire and Rutland, Gates is the perfect place to discover endless inspiration for yourself, your home and garden. You’ll find a huge giftware department brimming with ideas, whether you’re looking for the perfect present or something to treat yourself. There’s also everything you’ll need to create your ideal home and garden, including garden furniture, barbecues and indoor and outdoor accessories; as well as a large, traditional farm shop and two cosy restaurants serving delicious home-cooked food.
What do you love about being a shop owner?
One of the best things about being a shop owner is when customers send us pictures of what they’ve bought. Seeing our products in your homes and gardens, styled in the most creative of ways, is so rewarding. It’s the best feeling when you’ve helped someone choose that perfect something. We also love seeing all the new stock come in each season, as we know our customers are going to love it too!
Have you ever had any famous faces pop in?
As we are lucky enough to be based in one of the most beautiful areas of the country, this inevitably attracts a wide range of famous people that live here too. Many do shop with us, however, we couldn’t possibly name names!
Three words to describe your shop
Rural department store.
Tell us a little bit about the place you are located…
Gates is located halfway between the bustling market towns of Melton Mowbray and Oakham, in the beautiful rural village of Cold Overton. It’s the perfect place to combine a lovely long country walk with a spot of retail therapy, topped off with a delicious coffee and cake in the Garden Restaurant afterwards.
Your favourite time of year in the shop?
Here at Gates, we all love Christmas, and we are very well known far and wide for our huge Christmas displays. It’s a fantastic time of year that everybody gets excited about, and from October we like to fill our showrooms with enchanting displays, including a magical winter wonderland and Santa’s grotto.
Your favourite moment in the shop?
Most recently, probably when we finally opened the doors to our Farm Shop in late 2019. This was the culmination of many years of planning and completes the (very short) journey from farm to fork of the wonderful quality beef and lamb that is bred and raised on our own farm in the village. With a focus on offering the finest produce, Gates Farm Shop promises customers a true foodie experience.
What first attracted you to Sophie Allport products?
Great quality and beautifully creative in a wonderfully muted colour palette. The Sophie Allport range of products is loved by our staff and customers alike and looks perfect in the rural home.
What is your favourite Sophie Allport collection?
That’s a difficult question as if you asked every member of staff which was their favourite you’d probably get a different answer, as there are so many beautiful designs to choose from. One of our most popular ranges, and my personal favourite, is the Hare Collection.
Finally, where can people find you?
Gates Garden Centre,
Somerby Road,
Cold Overton,
Oakham,
Leicestershire,
LE15 7QB
Or follow them on social:
Instagram: @gatesgardencentre
Facebook: @GatesGardenCentre