ABOUT US

Our Family of brand experiences in Yorkshire

We are an independently owned business committed to our vision: to deliver great experiences for all the family. Through retail, food and play offerings in each of our retail destinations, we believe we have created a unique mix of brands that always deliver great experiences for families across multiple sites in Yorkshire.

Our Garden Centres

Hearty’s Foodhall

Whether it’s something tasty for tea, an everyday treat or a thoughtful gift, at each of our centres Hearty’s Food Hall is filled with a tempting choice of lovingly-made, hand-crafted and carefully selected food with heart! As well as our butchery, bakery and deli, discover the superb choice of sweet and savoury ‘heartisan’ produce from Yorkshire and beyond.

Blooms Kitchen Restaurant

Blooms Kitchen

Found in each of our garden centres, Blooms Kitchen offers a menu of favourites throughout the day in a comfortable family-friendly environment. From breakfast and lunch to cakes, our Sunday roast and Blooms seasonal afternoon tea, we always guarantee a warm welcome.

Mezzanine Restaurant Logo

The Mezzanine

In 2019, we opened The Mezzanine, our second restaurant at Tong Garden Centre – a stylish and spacious place to eat, drink and relax. We introduced table reservations and launched a menu of seasonal dishes, gourmet sandwiches and mini patisserie enjoyed daily in a stylish and welcoming setting.

Grass Hoppers Logo

Grass Hoppers

Established in 2015, Grass Hoppers offers proper playtime for younger children and toddlers with engaging indoor and outdoor activities set in safe and secure surroundings. You will find Grass Hoppers and its family restaurant, Woody’s Kitchen, at each of our destination garden centres.

Mission Out Logo

Mission Out

Mission Out is a challenging, rewarding day of active outdoor adventure aimed at 6 to 14 year olds. It’s 4 acres of fun and exhilarating activities – perfect for family days, treats and celebrations, school trips and team building.

CLIMATE AND COMMUNITY

We care passionately about how we do business too and are proud to have a robust Climate and Community commitment that details our pathway to sustainability, the active role we play in our local community and the caring culture we have created for our people. It will always be a work in progress as we strive to better than ourselves each and every year.

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About Us

Our Story – building our family of brands for families to enjoy.

In May 2015, Tom Megginson and Mark Farnsworth took over at Tong Garden Centre.

Since 1984, Tong had been one of biggest and best garden centres in Yorkshire but the business had lost it’s way in the 2000’s and needed a change of direction. Inheriting 45 members of staff, Tom and Mark set off to restore it’s reputation and create a modern garden centre with a great mix of retail, food and leisure.

The early investment went into improving our retail offer alongside a brand new restaurant and coffee shop. Grasshoppers children’s play area quickly followed and this proved a huge hit. In 2019, we completed our first new building which gave us a fantastic new plant canopy as well as an indoor play area for Grasshoppers. In 2020, we added a two storey extension onto the front of the building which has introduced more retail space for gardening, the Mezzanine restaurant and some great facilities and offices for our team. With an investment of around £7m into the business, we now have over 250 people working at Tong and we are all very proud of the award winning garden centre that we are today.

In 2022, the next phase of ambitious growth was the opening of Tingley Garden Centre in south Leeds – Tong’s sister centre which also boasts Mission Out, our brand new outdoor adventure attraction for older children. Tingley is also home to Bloom’s Kitchen, Grasshoppers and our Hearty’s food hall as well as an exciting new restaurant called the Garden Room.

We are an ambitious business and we hope to continue to grow and create opportunities in our communities. We will continue our mission to create a great experience for all the family and we hope our customers will continue to enjoy visiting our centres. Our team will always be at the forefront of our business and we are grateful for all their efforts on our journey so far.

AWARD WINNING RETAILER

Recognised locally, regionally and nationally, we are so proud of our award winning business and the team that makes it happen.

Our most recent awards

2021 Best Festive Displays

Our festive displays were named the best in the North East of England for the fifth time by the horticultural trade association, GCA.

Winners are selected for their ability to demonstrate a real ‘wow factor’ by highlighting their product range with inspirational displays that create excitement and a festive ambience.

North East and North West regional Garden Centre Association (GCA) awards

2021 Best Destination Garden Centre

The judges said: “Tong Garden Centre continues to build an exceptional experience for the customer and is well deserving of Destination Garden Centre of the Year in the North East region. Inspirational displays and a fantastic choice across gardening ranges, lifestyle retailing and outdoor living stood out as areas of excellence.”

North East and North West regional Garden Centre Association (GCA) awards

2021 The GIMA Award – Best Garden Product Retailer

Throughout the year, the team faced staff shortages, stock issues and pandemic conditions, but have continued to give our customers exceptional service and a great experience that contributed to these awards.

North East and North West regional Garden Centre Association (GCA) awards

2020 Outstanding Employer

The Outstanding Employer award celebrates employers who value and reward their staff and empowers employees to play a role in moving the company forward. We are committed to making sure that Tong continues to be a great place to work , so we were absolutely delighted to win this award.

Yorkshire Post Excellence in Business Awards

Our Proud Trade Industry Memberships

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