A popular Featherstone garden centre has unveiled a major restaurant transformation, including a new heritage-inspired space designed for celebrations, community gatherings and special occasions.

Notcutts Victoria Garden Centre, on Wakefield Road, has completed a refurbishment of its 150-seat restaurant, giving the destination a fresh new look while putting its local history firmly in the spotlight.

The transformation was officially unveiled on October 11 at a special community breakfast and ribbon-cutting ceremony, attended by around 50 guests including customers, colleagues, community leaders and charity partners.

Caroline Notcutt, Vice Chairman and great-granddaughter of Notcutts founder Roger Crompton Notcutt, joined CEO Nick Burrows and Victoria General Manager Damien Wood to officially open the revamped restaurant.

Damien Wood (centre), General Manager at Notcutts Victoria Garden Centre alongside colleagues in the new refurbished restaurant. [Credit: Peter Hasnip, Copyright: Notcutts Ltd]

placeholder image — Damien Wood (centre), General Manager at Notcutts Victoria Garden Centre alongside colleagues in the new refurbished restaurant. [Credit: Peter Hasnip, Copyright: Notcutts Ltd]

Caroline said: “It’s wonderful to see the transformation of the restaurant at Notcutts Victoria and to celebrate this special occasion with our customers, colleagues and members of the local community.

“As a family-owned business approaching our 130th anniversary, celebrating local communities and heritage means a great deal to us.

"Notcutts Victoria has its own fascinating family history and strong local connections, so it’s particularly fitting that these stories are being shared and celebrated alongside the Notcutt family story.”

At the centre of the makeover is the Victoria Heritage Suite – a dedicated space designed for afternoon teas, birthdays, group bookings, community events and other special occasions.

The new Victoria Heritage Suite at Notcutts Victoria Garden Centre restaurant celebrating local Featherstone and Pontefract history. [Credit: Peter Hasnip, Copyright: Notcutts Ltd]

The new suite features comfortable booth seating alongside nostalgic photographs showcasing Featherstone and Pontefract through the years.

The Victoria name dates back to the Hirst family, the previous owners of the garden centre, and was chosen in honour of their daughter before the business became part of the family-owned Notcutts group in 2008.

Visitors can discover even more about the site's past through a new restaurant history wall, charting Notcutts' journey from its beginnings in 1897 to its growth into one of the UK's best-known family-owned garden centre groups.

Damien Wood, General Manager at Notcutts Victoria, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to welcome customers into our beautiful refurbished new restaurant.

The refurbished Notcutts Victoria Garden Centre restaurant. [Credit: Peter Hasnip, Copyright: Notcutts Ltd]

"It’s been exciting to see the transformation come together, and we’re looking forward to seeing people enjoying the new surroundings.”

He said the Heritage Suite was a particular highlight.

“We wanted to create a welcoming space that celebrates our local history while giving families, friends and community groups somewhere special to come together,” he said.