Shopping Guide: The Arium
Shopping Guide for This Location
Why You Should Visit
From my experience, this place offers several compelling reasons for a visit, particularly if you have children. Here's what you can expect:
- Exceptional Playground: The play area is a major draw. You'll find a well-maintained, free playground featuring swings, slides, climbing structures, and a sand pit. It's suitable for children of all ages, and there's even a bike/scooter lane. Plenty of seating and picnic tables are available.
- Quality Plants (Sometimes): You'll find a selection of plants, including indoor and outdoor varieties, and pots. Some reviews praise the plants' quality and health, particularly for bedding plants. However, the selection can be limited.
- Reasonable Prices (Sometimes): While some items are considered expensive, shoppers have found plants and books at reasonable prices.
- Good Value Books: There are good deals on books, especially when buying multiple items.
- Nice Cafe: The location offers a cafe, and the "Potting Shed Cafe" is mentioned as having reasonably priced drinks. You'll find sandwiches and good coffee.
- Friendly Staff: Staff is noted as friendly and approachable.
- Convenient Parking: The location offers plenty of free parking, making it easy to access.
- Lovely Gifts: You'll find a selection of gifts, too.
- Greenhouse Viewing (Potentially): The greenhouse is described as incredible.
Why You Might Consider Alternatives
Despite the positives, there are a few things to keep in mind before visiting. Based on my observations, here's what to consider:
- Inconsistent Plant Quality: Some reviews mention badly dried-out plants and a limited selection, while others praise the quality. This suggests the plant offerings might be inconsistent.
- Overpriced Gardening Items: Some gardening items are considered expensive.
- Inconsistent Cleanliness: Be aware that cleanliness can be an issue. Some reviews report dirty bathrooms and a scruffy carpark.
- Limited Shopping Range: The garden centre itself is not particularly large, and the shopping range might be limited.
- Possible Management Issues: Some reviews suggest signs of poor management. This can manifest in various ways, from the placement of signs to overall upkeep.
- Cafe Concerns: The cafe menu may not cater for all diets. There may not be food for people with coeliac allergies.
- Cafe Atmosphere: The upstairs seating area in the cafe can become uncomfortably hot, even on cooler days, due to its location in a greenhouse. The cafe may offer expensive and poor-quality coffee.
- Missing Prices/Signage: Some items may be missing prices or signage.
- Limited Greenhouse Access: The reviews indicate that you may not be able to tour the greenhouses.
- Potential for Old Stock: Some items look like they’ve been sitting in storage for a while.
- Potential for Overcrowding: While the park is free, and the parking is plentiful, the location can get busy, especially during warmer days.
