A GARDEN centre forced to close under the government's coronavirus guidelines has written a post slamming the decision.

St Peters Garden Centre was sent a prohibition notice from Wychavon District Council on Thursday, May 7, ordering it to shut to the public immediately.

The Norton Road-based centre is understood to have been partially opened in recent weeks, and hit out at the authority highlighting services it offered including a food hall and pets department.

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The centre's social media post also included the hashtags 'how can supermarkets sell plants', 'The Range', 'B&Q', 'discrimination', 'pick on the little guys' and 'needs to be fair'.

In the post the centre wrote: "We are very sorry, but we have been issued a prohibition notice.

"As a result we have been forced to close until the restrictions have been lifted. This is extremely disappointing to us as we feel the foodhall, butchery and pet departments qualify as an ‘essential service’ to our local community, but apparently Wychavon District Council feel this is not the case.

"We also feel that our strict social distancing policy is better than anywhere else around so it's really confusing.

"We are hopeful that the government announcement on Sunday will include the lessening of restrictions, otherwise we fear for all local businesses that provide much needed jobs and services to the area.

"Hopefully we can be back open on Monday, (May 11)."

Worcester City councillor, Richard Udall, said: "If The Range can open in Worcester because is sells food and DIY, so should St Peters garden Centre, who were only selling food.

"There appears to be two rules, one for the large businesses with their own lawyers and another for the rest of business."

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, standing in at Prime Minister Questions on April 29, was asked about garden centres and he said relaxing lockdown measures (over businesses like garden centres) "would risk damage to the public health, our economy, and frankly the progress we've made".

But he did add the government was keeping the evidence on each individual measure "under very close review".

Wychavon District Council was unavailable for comment.