roonee There is no doubt that garden centres have become more elaborate over the years, but they’re still probably not an obvious choice of somewhere to go with the kids for a few hours to have a nice afternoon. Gordon Rigg’s Garden centre in Lancashire and West Yorkshire is breaking down the garden centre stereotypes and is a wonderful place for the whole family to spend a morning or afternoon!
Accessibility at Gordon Rigg’s Garden Centre
There are two Gordon Rigg’s garden centres, one in Greater Manchester, and one down the road just over the West Yorkshire border. Both have sizable carparks with easy access to get inside, and they are also accessible by bus. Generally speaking, if you’re a mum with kids in pushchairs or buggies, both of these garden centres should be accessible to you, even if you don’t drive!
Inside the centres, everything is on one floor so there is no need to worry about any steps. Gangways are big enough for wheelchairs, buggies, and pushchairs so there are no accessibility issues there. There are a few doors throughout the site, but usually there are plenty of members of staff around to help you open them and get through to the other side.
What to do
If walking around a garden centre admiring all the plants, garden décor, and outdoor paraphernalia is your jam then you’re in luck. Both Gordon Rigg sites are quite big and there is plenty to browse. If browsing the plants isn’t going to keep your little ones happy, fear not, there’s plenty more on offer. There is a small play area available for small children, but over the summer months, there is a large beach area to play in and explore. The area is lined with deck chairs for parents to relax on, and the ‘beach’ itself is an enormous sandpit with an array of beach toys on offer. The whole area is covered up so it can be enjoyed in the rain too.
The garden centre hosts a number of community children’s groups and activities, so it’s always worth seeing what’s on. Some things you can expect to see are messy play sessions, craft lessons, music and sensory play sessions, and loads more. These are fantastic if you’ve got a baby or toddler and fancy getting out of the house for an hour or two.
There is a lovely café on offer where you can relax and have a hot drink or a bite to eat. The menu is fantastic for a garden centre, and there is a lot to choose from when it comes to child friendly options. There is a whole kids’ menu available, as well as lots of child friendly snacks and drinks at the till.
Whatever you decide to do, we can guarantee a lovely couple of hours with the kids at Gordon Rigg’s!
