ELEVEN new jobs will be created when a garden centre near Newent completes a £1.5 million expansion project.

The Trioscape Garden Centre will boast a restaurant and an increased range of goods when the major investment project is completed this summer.

The business currently employs six people which will increase to 17 full-time and part-time positions across a range of roles such as catering, retail management and customer service.

Richard Mitchell, one of the three partners in Trioscape, said: "We pride ourselves on our professional and friendly customer service and adding a restaurant, café and food hall will offer our customers even more.

"We've had a great response to our recruitment drive and are considering applications at the moment.

"Our business is growing and it feels good to provide new job opportunities in our local area.

Richard set up the business in 1994 with Douglas Wilson and Ronan Lynch – who all live in the area.

They took the rundown business with dilapidated buildings, situated off the B4215 between Newent and Gloucester, and turned it into a thriving garden centre on its 16-acre site.

The latest project will see a restaurant and food hall created offering local and regional food.

The traditional garden centre range will also be expanded in a completely new and environmentally efficient building on the current site. The business will move in to the new premises during the summer and will be operating as usual until then.