On 24th March, I visited Wentworth Garden Centre. This report will discuss the visitor experience of gift shop, café, garden centre and staff, and suggestions for improvement.
Gift Shop
The gift shop had a wide range of merchandise. This was well organised with bags, treats and more all having their own sections. Some of the notable items were the ceramic houses due to their detail and low price. However, I nearly missed some sections that were tucked away. This issue could be resolved with the addition of signs.
Café
The chocolate cake was well presented with sprinkles round the edge, and cream and flake at the end of each slice. The slices were perfectly sized. The combination of cream and chocolate worked perfectly. Furthermore, it was possible to taste the chocolate, which is not possible with all chocolate cakes.
The hot chocolate also had a good presentation with a white froth in the centre and sprinkles covering the drink. These features also made the hot chocolate taste better. The temperature was perfect: the drink was sippable straight away but stayed warm for a while.
Initially, the café was overwhelming due to the sound of people talking. After going outside, the atmosphere became quieter and peaceful. The outside seating provided a nice view and the seats were not uncomfortable. However, the notice on the doors made it seem like a fire escape. This issue could be fixed by adding a sign above the doors saying, ‘access to outside seating and garden centre.’
Garden Centre
The garden centre had a wide variety of plants. However, it was easy to find what we were looking for due to signs like ‘Shrubs A-Z’. The plants themselves were good quality and healthy, with many having green leaves. Also, the plants were ideal for transport, with larger ones having their branches tied together. Furthermore, most of the plants had labels, providing clear and useful information. However, the label for laurel was missing. This may be due to people loosening it and the wind blowing it away. This issue could be fixed in two ways: the label could be glued to the pot or the information could be displayed on the wall of the plant bed.
Staff
During my visit, the staff were kind and helpful. When I was not able to find the door for outside seating (due to problems discussed in Café) the café staff pointed out the door. Furthermore, they asked if I needed anything as they passed. Finally, a staff member at the garden centre stopped what they were doing to hose down my shoe, after I stepped in dog mess.
Summary
Overall, the attractions at Wentworth Garden Centre provided a good visitor experience: the gift shop had a wide range of merchandise, the café had tasty cakes and drinks, the garden centre had a large variety of healthy plants, and the staff were kind and helpful. However, signs could be added to help visitors navigate, specifically in the gift shop and café.