First on our visit list was Pizza Express Bramhall, where we will be hosting a Mums in the Know, Dough Nuts event later at the beginning of February. We were so impressed with the restaurant which seems to have really taken into account the 'Mummy with buggy' market. Spacious and clean, with a designated buggy park and kids craft area- it really does put families at ease. Not to mention spotless changing facilities with thoughtful touches such as a basket with spare nappies and wipes in it, a high quality colourful mobile hanging above the changing unit and pretty pictures on the wall.. Lovely!
We also checked out Simply Books who again seem to think hard about their customers and cater for families with events, book signings and clubs for children. The layout of the shop makes it easy for mums to manouevre their buggies around and the little kids area and cafe made it a really pleasant environment to while away an hour.
We were equally impressed with Wild Things, the new softplay centre just a 5min drive from the centre of Bramhall. It has opened recently and the first major plus point was lots of free parking. Furthermore, the design of the softplay area is such that if you sit and have a coffee, you can always see where your little one is climbing around. Everything is clean and tidy, the prices are reasonable and the cafe serves really good food.
And obviously, you can't mention Bramhall without mentioning the park. Small lake is perfect for a trip to feed the ducks (though be careful- its at the bottom of a steep hill and has no fencing so you need to keep a firm grip on your toddler's hand!) The play park has lots of equipment for kids to burn off their energy and the cafe is a lovely environment for a drink & snack.
All in all, we think Bramhall is a great village for mums with tots and there are many other local high streets who could learn a lot from the thought certain Bramhall businesses have put into being 'family friendly.' On top of the businesses mentioned above, there are also kid specific clothes, shoe and toy shops- plus a fantastic range of nurseries, schools, clubs & classes. A great place to live, work and play!