Homebase will open garden centres inside six Next stores from today to coincide with retail’s reopening. 

The home and DIY chain has taken space at Next’s shops in Bristol, Sheffield, Ipswich, Warrington, Camberley and Shoreham. 

The Homebase shop-in-shops will sell pots, plants and garden tools, while staff will also be on hand to offer customers advice on their gardening projects. 

Homebase will also launch more of its smaller-format high street stores today as restrictions imposed on ‘non-essential’ retailers are lifted by the government. 

The retailer will open its latest Decorate by Homebase store as well as its first small-format Homebase shop and a dual-branded Kitchens by Homebase and Bathstore concept on the high street in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. 

The openings will bring Homebase’s portfolio of small-format stores to six across Guildford, Cheadle and Sutton.

Homebase boss Damian McGloughlin said: “We’re delighted to be joining forces with Next and bringing our garden products and expertise to its stores. It’s all part of our wider commitment to make shopping with us easier and provide even more inspiration and expert advice. 

“The launch of these new garden centres means we’re able to offer more gardeners, both experienced and those just starting out, Homebase products in more locations across the country.”

The move comes as one of Britain’s richest businessmen lines up a bid to buy the home and DIY operator. 

Pizza Express tycoon Hugh Osmond is reportedly preparing a £300m bid for the business, which hoisted the for-sale sign last year. 

Osmond, who took control of Pizza Express in a £20m deal alongside Luke Johnson in 1993, has emerged as one of the leading contenders to buy Homebase from Hilco. 

According to Sky News, any deal would likely be done through his investment vehicle, Osmond Capital.

Osmond, who took Pizza Express public before going on to establish the pub chain Punch Taverns, is not thought to be in exclusive talks, but the identity of other potential bidders is still unknown. 

Hilco acquired Homebase for a nominal fee in 2018, rescuing it from the ownership of Australian retailer Wesfarmers.

It launched a company voluntary arrangement to cut costs and shut stores, but has since returned the business to profitability. 

As previously reported by Retail Week, Hilco drafted in bankers from Lazard last November to orchestrate a sale as it seeks to capitalise on a lockdown boom in home and gardening sales.  

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