CHELSTON Nurseries will change hands at the end of the year after 73 years in the same family.

Founded in 1951 by father and son, Dudley and John Lucas, Chelston Nurseries will cease to be a family-run business by the end of the year having been sold on to a garden centre, the name of which is yet to be announced.

Current owner, and grandson of co-founder Dudley, David Lucas says he’s made the difficult decision to hand on the business as he transitions to retirement.

He said: “It’s not been an easy decision at all, when so much is tied up in it, when you’ve had three generations of family involved.

“I grew up on site as it were and we were wandering around here in our wellies as toddlers.”

David began working at Chelston Nurseries after he left college in the late 70s, early 80s and has been working at the centre for the 40 years since.

“My grandfather and father bought a plot of land out here and started the nursery, initially growing a bit of everything and then eventually concentrating on chrysanthemums.

“In the 70s and 80s we sold the chrysanthemums to markets around the UK and in Covent Garden, Birmingham and Cardiff.

“Then in the 2000s we started with bedding plants.

“Really, when we started, we didn’t know what we were doing.”

David spent his childhood learning from his parents and grandparents so taking on the centre was a natural stepping stone but now, he says, his own children are too young to do the same.

He said: “The staff and I want to say a huge thank you to the local customers over the years, and to those who stuck with us during covid.”

The centre will close this coming weekend (November 2) but will reopen at the end of November for the sale of Christmas trees. There will also be an auction later in November for any unsold plants and other items.

Chelston Nurseries will be closed for development over the winter and is set to reopen under new ownership next year.