Jim Hodkinson has stepped down as executive chairman of garden centre group Wyevale, Retail Week can reveal.

His responsibilities will be taken up by tycoon Sir Tom Hunter, whose West Coast Capital investment business owns the retailer, which is also backed by Baugur.

It is understood that Hodkinson, who assumed executive responsibilities earlier this year to accelerate the pace of change, wants to concentrate once again on a portfolio of roles, having spent almost three years at Wyevale.

He scaled back his involvement in other businesses to focus on Wyevale, but remains chairman of Furniture Village and has other non-executive roles.

Hodkinson’s departure coincided with other management changes at Wyevale. Nicholas Marshall, chief executive of Country Homes & Gardens, has assumed the same role at Wyevale, where Andrew Livingston was last month promoted to chief operating officer.

Bad weather and tough retail conditions are thought to have taken their toll on Wyevale this year. A spokesman for West Coast Capital said: “Like every other garden centre business, it’s been tough, but it is on a forward footing. There’s a lot of growth to come.”