My 20 year old self would have firmly believed that tell-tale sign of middle age is acquiring a Wyvale Garden Centre loyalty card. We of the Sisterhood all have such a thing in our possession. However, I would protest that the only reason I got one was because it entitles the children to use the soft play for 50p less than the non-member price – and Sister Y suggested it!! (we used to frequent the Wyvale at Stanway regularly when our little ones were of pre-school age). Anyway, it did come in very handy this week when we all got our weekly/monthly? email containing all the current offers. Obviously, the ones about actual gardening are of no interest (pah!) but the one that declares ‘FREE hot beverage with any slice of cake’ is a sure fire winner. How could we possibly resist such enticement? So off to Stanway Wyvale we went. I did not require the buggy but it is a big, open café and there would have been room for it if necessary. They have lots of high chairs but never enough staff at this place. There is always a long queue of retired folk and frazzled looking mums waiting patiently for one woman to take orders, make all the hot drinks and take payment single handed – despite the fact that there are two tills.
I went for a Victoria Sponge and the sisters both opted for a Chocolate Orange Drizzle Cake. Mine was a little on the dry side (I think it must have been a few days old) but very tasty nonetheless. The orange cake was apparently very scrummy – not a crumb remained on either plate!
So, I reckon, discounted ‘member’ price taken into account, about a 7/10 for Wyvale. The soft play is great for little ones and, whilst being in the café, it is shut off so not a disturbance for other customers but mums can enjoy a drink in semi peace knowing that the children are safe and visible through the windows. And they have an outlet of The Works (love it!) which we always end up spending loads of money in. But they need to rethink the staff ratios and till operating system. Shame there’s nowhere to walk nearby as all our trousers are getting a little tight now – we really must put more effort to finding some new places with exercise opportunities!
Until next time x
The Sisterhood of the Long Boobs 