The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A nursery set up by accident 35 years ago has closed its shop front.
Glenside will continue to operate its wholesale business which includes supplying Spalding town centre and Ayscoughfee Gardens with plants.
But the couple who set it up, Susan (67) and Adrian Chappell (71), are semi-retiring and closing the shop means they can spend more time doing the things they love, such as travelling and going to the theatre.
Horticulture runs in Adrian’s family for generations, but the setting up of Glenside was an accident after the pair decided in the mid-80s to sell some bedding plants grown on the land they own.
“It just escalated and got bigger as the years went on,” Susan said. “The shop side in particular grew.
“We’ve not been open all year round, but when we are, it’s long days, seven days a week.
“We’re both retirement age and it was just time to give a bit more time to ourselves.
“Our son Matt and his wife Nicola are continuing with the wholesale business, but they’ve a young family, so need to have time for that.
“We’re already missing the many customers who would pop in.
“Even now with the wholesale business, plants need watering every day and there’s always jobs to do, but we’ve also been able to spend a bit of time doing the things we love.”
Glenside on the shop front's last day. Pictured (from left) is Matt Chappell, Denise Bradford, who worked full time at the shop, Nicola Chappell, Adrian Chappell, Susan Chappell and their dog Bertie.
