Weekend in Stoke on Trent

[ODFOx]

Apart from World of Wedgwood ( already booked) what should a 3 generation group of adults ( the most elderly of whom doesn't walk too far) do/visit and where should we eat this weekend? Staying in Hanley, breakfasting at hotel.
Thank you

Change hotel? Seriously, Hanley is a dump (and is quite a distance from Wedgewood which is out at Barlaston.

You can have a nice look around Trentham Gardens. You have to pay to go into the gardens itself but there is also the Garden Centre (with a nice cafe) or the retail village which is quite compact and lots of places to eat.

Seriously though, there is a Premier Inn at Trentham gardens, can you stay there instead? My two favourite eating places in Hanley both closed down so I'm struggling to think of anywhere to be honest.

Trentham Gardens
world of wedgwood

that’s it. It’s a dump

The only half decent Hotel is the Hilton, even has a pool. There are no decent restaurants.

edit: Upper House in Barlaston is nice too.

There is Emma Bridgewater of course which is just outside of Hanley (pottery painting cafe) but is that too much pottery for one weekend?

Definitely Trentham gardens and maybe the money forest although there is some walking. Both are very near to Barlaston where Wedgwood museum is. The pub in Barlaston used to be owned by Neil Morrissey and was nice but it's probably been ten years or so since I've been there! I have a feeling the theatre in Hanley may put on some good stuff? Other than that I'm struggling (as an ex resident!)

Monkey forest, wish there had been a money forest.

Oh yes, used to do a nice afternoon tea.

Middleport is lovely for a mooch but it depends how much pottery you can handle in one trip 😅 You're going to The Potteries so that's pretty much the majority of the offering.

Trentham Gardens is nice. You can just go to the garden centre and shopping village or you can pay to enter the gardens which are beautiful. There's the Monkey Forest next door if you're into that.

If you've got older kids/teens with decent appetites then Slamwich would probably be a big hit for lunch.

Plume of Feathers is the Neil Morrisey pub, yes that's quite nice.

It's War Horse on Saturday at The Regent

As others have said Trentham Gardens. The walk around the lake in the gardens themselves is probably the only long walk but it's a proper path, mostly flat, and there are benches in a few spots. There's also a cafe halfway round. There's still plenty to see without going the lake walk.

Buy some oatcakes, that’s it really.

Why Stoke on Trent of all places ?

I did a weekend there recently. Wanted to go to pottery museums but they all seemed to be shut when I went.
Wedgewood was great. The cafe there was excellent. I liked Emma Bridgwater and did some pottery painting there. Trentham was pleasant. Every single Stokie person I met was absolutely lovely. So friendly. ☺️

I second Emma Bridgewater for the pottery painting. I’ve been with my adult daughters who loved it (and have taken their own friends at a later date), and also with just friends who also thoroughly enjoyed it. The cafe is excellent, reasonably priced and serves (Staffordshire) oatcakes.

It’s really quite idiot proof as it’s basically printing with ready cut sponges, and you come away with something useable.

I'm pretty sure the Emma Bridgewater cafe(same place as the factory),does afternoon tea too,but you have to book. I keep meaning to go.

Derbyshire Oatcakes are just as lovely but don't involve a trip to Stoke!!!!

Little Dumpling King in Hanley is immense

Derbyshire oatcakes are awful!

Christ alive, Stoke is a shitheap! Stick to the trio of Trentham Gardens, Barlaston and Monkey Forest.

You could go to Lichfield or somewhere for a trip out.

Burleigh Factory Shop at Middleport Pottery is lovely!

The Quarter at the Potbank is a lovely restaurant but books up at weekends quite far in advance.

We ARE staying at The Hilton.

One of the DC is at Uni in Stoke, hence the meet-up there.

We have previously tried Dumpling King but I don't think it'll be a good fit for the older relatives. Apparently there's a really good Chinese in Newcastle that does really good dim sum that might be more their pace but it's further than I'd like if we can get something nice closer. We need to eat on Friday too.

I'll look at Trentham more closely and check ticket availability for war Horse. Thanks

The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery (PMAG) is good - some quite quirky exhibitions on a wide range of stuff. I like the gallery, fashion and ceramics upstairs, and the Spitfire in the new bit. The cafe in here isn't that great though - I'd second the Slamwich Club, which isn't far away.

There's a good sushi place in Stoke called Miso, but it's not walkable form Hanley unfortunately.