The Garden House Marple — Attraction in Stockport

So disappointed by our visit. i previously emailed to confirm if the site had guinea pigs that we were able to hold, we were told yes which was the reason for our visit. when we arrived the site was so underwhelming and several animals seemed to be in a bad condition, particularly the donkeys.

we went over to the guinea pig area where the guinea pigs were labelled as being anxious, and to not attempt to hold them. we respected this of course, but were obviously frustrated to have been told otherwise before visiting. the guinea pigs were also left with no water in any of the 4 bottles they had. i went and told a member of staff about this as they were attempting to drink but couldn’t, and was told they’d sort it. the staff member did not sort it whilst we were there and did not seem bothered by this.

in the duck and chicken enclosure there was a hen that was in a very small hutch who seemed completely distressed. there were also baby ducks and chickens roaming in this section, with signs saying “give us space, we’re new”. we watched people holding and following the animals, with no staff to enforce giving them space, or ensuring their wellbeing.

our visit lasted for 20 minutes, and we left feeling disappointed that we supported a place that did not seem to care enough about the wellbeing of...

Let me start by saying the only reason this review is getting one star is due to sizeable enclosure/s the animals were in. Aside from that fact, there is very little that is appealing about this place.

Many of the animals were in a less than acceptable condition, particularly the chickens. The water in their troughs was almost entirely green and completely stagnant. The donkeys looked as though they had a skin condition that was causing their hair to fall out. There was very little food for the donkeys and horses.

The play area for children was also less than satisfactory, it looked barely able to take the weight of my 2 year old son, never mind that of an older child.

To top it all off, every other sign around the park was telling you to "please donate", as though it was voluntary. I say that as before we even walked through the gate, an older gentleman was stood there telling us it is entry by donation, but last time I checked a donation is voluntary by definition, but for the sake of my son I paid the £5, albeit it regretfully by the end of our visit which lasted all of about 25 minutes.

Overall, I would really not recommend this place for a a visit...

A cute little community farm, perfect for a lovely afternoon out. Free but a donation is grateful so we paid the suggested £3 each which was worth it. My daughter loved it. Although you can’t actually feed the animals anymore, we were lucky enough to be around when the staff were so they let my daughter join in. The lovely lady volunteer answered lots of her questions & was happy to teach her a few things about the animals and you could tell she enjoyed working there and passing on her knowledge. There are a few free roaming animals and animals behind the wired fence, but you still get a good interaction with them. Cute little cafe under a shelter, that sold lovely chocolate cake at a fair price. The river side walk is lovely and peaceful, especially on a sunny day. With different birds to spot in the trees. There is a little play area and wishing well & great hand washing facilities. If your looking for a pleasant morning or afternoon out then here is perfect. Not sure you could do a full day there as it is just a small place. However perfect way to support local farm/community & entertainment the kids without the...