Help! Meeting Inlaws in Crewe?

[LewishamGreenwichWoodchips]

Hello Cheshire MNers!

I'm hoping you can help me find somewhere to meet the MIL and sFIL near Crewe. For everyone to be happy we need somewhere that serves good quality food with a soft play area for the 4 and 1.5 year olds. We are coming up from down south, so suggestions to the south of Crewe would be welcome too.

MIL likes to think she's a bit posh, last time I insisted on a Wacky Warehouse. Didn't go down well.

Any suggestions gratefully received!

Can't think of anywhere that does posh with soft play, surely those 2 things just don't go together?

Pirates paradise in Holmes Chapel has good food but like all soft play, it gets rammed at the weekends.

Emma Bridgewater in Stoke does nice food, there's no soft play but you can pay for the DC to decorate some pottery.

How about a National Trust place? Biddulph Grange Gardens have a cafe and the children will love exploring. Little Moreton Hall is good for an afternoon out too.

Where did you decide on in the end woodchips?

Forgot to mention Trentham. Some lovely places to eat then you can let the children run themselves ragged in the gardens. Definitely more posh than a wacky!

Oops, sorry for the delayed response, my laptop died

Thanks for the replies, I agree that a posh soft play is a bit optimistic! MIL seems to just want to sit and chat over a long leisurely lunch, while my overexuberant boys get more and more restless after a 4h drive up. Surprisingly, she thinks they're very badly behaved!

It looks like Pirates Paradise has a party booking, and the pottery is probably a bit old for the boys but I've bookmarked them for future trips. Santa is visiting Biddulph Grange Gardens when we're up so I think that's the winner!

We go to Trentham in the summer, we all love it! (Yes, we make bi-annual trips to the MIL! And sometimes I think that's two trips too many...)

MIL seems to just want to sit and chat over a long leisurely lunch, while my overexuberant boys get more and more restless after a 4h drive up. Surprisingly, she thinks they're very badly behaved! think she is being a bit harsh. My DSIL has a 2 hour drive to get here and when they do we all usually have lunch at DpIl nut the children get a good hour in the garden playing and letting off steam before they are expected to sit still.

Just one word of warning on Biddulph Grange, and I hope its not too late, it's pretty unsuitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs so it might be worth taking a baby backpack thing for your Lo

If you've not already been, Bridgemere Garden Centre might be worth a look. They have a small ish soft play area, a cafe, smarter restaurant and outdoor plat

Oops was supposed to say generally lots of open space for boys to maraud around stretch their legs!

Think we might be off to Bridgemere this weekend amy. Taking the DC to see the Christmas stuff but think that DS will probably be more interested in moseying around Lakeland. You are right though, the food is very nice

Wheelock Hall Farm is also nice, shop, animals, play area and you can eat there too!

Thanks for the warning Voices. I'm one of those weirdo babywearers so the sling will be with us but the 20m old will probably be legging it after his brother!

I have been set another challenge... Evening meal? The boys will be run ragged during the day so somewhere nice and near (or south of) Biddulph would be great.

I have tweeted this to all the Mumsnet Cheshire followers, hopefully I can come back to you with some suggestions. Follow us @mumsnetcheshire