A WORCESTERSHIRE nursery has announced a change in ownership, with Webbs buying shares.

The Bransford Webbs Plant Company has announced a change in ownership of the company after Will Tooby the current chairman, whose father established the business, had been keen to secure the future of the company.

By reducing his shareholding he has taken a partial step away from the business, but remains chairman of the board of directors.

The shares have been taken up by a combination of Webbs Garden Centre, Adrian Marskell, managing director, Richard Colbourne, financial director, and Christine Chalmers, production director.

The Bransford Webbs Plant Company was established more than 50 years ago, under the original name of Bransford Nurseries.

It was renamed Bransford Garden Plants in the early 1990s to better reflect the nature of the business, becoming renowned across the industry for its new and innovative plants, ideas and promotions.

Following a merger with Webbs Nurseries in 2005, the Bransford Webbs Plant Company has continued to go from strength-to-strength. A leading nursery in the UK, it supplies over 1.5 million plants to garden centres across the UK.

The growing space currently covers over nine hectares, consisting of glasshouses, polytunnels and outdoors beds.

Adrian Marskell, managing director, said: "Through this positive move, Will is ensuring that there is a seamless change in the overall ownership of the company, and that a team he trusts continues to run and expand the business into the future, with confidence, whilst retaining all the values that are so important to him.

"So although there has been a change, the message is very strongly, no change, business as usual."