The Patch MK — Local services in Wicken

I don’t like leaving negative reviews for small businesses, but hoping this comes across as constructive to the owners, whilst also letting other customers be mindful before they arrive :)

I came with my partner, for two tickets in total with fees it came to £12.80. I feel like the entry price is steep. Especially for those for go as a family. This could work out quite an expensive day out. The entry fee only gets you entry to the patch. There are lots of photo opportunities set up around the patch but they are overcrowded and so we didn’t get any.

For a large pumpkin it is £10. Again, imagine if you had children or a family, this would soon add up. We didn’t get any pumpkins in the end as to be honest we didn’t want to spend an extra £20 on pumpkins which we could get for £2 in the shop. I feel like the entry fee would be more justified if you were able to get 1 pumpkin per family per visit - this could be a nice idea for the future? :) I understand the farm has workers and costs etc to cover.

There actually wasn’t that many pumpkins. I understand it had been open for a few weeks prior but the ones left were all starting to go rotten.

Everywhere was really busy. There was nowhere to sit in the little cafe. Everything also costs extra (so something to bear in mind before you arrive).

However the whole idea and set up is really cute. But I feel like the entry fee lets it down. It’s not really worth it in my opinion. You’d need to bring a good few pounds in order to make this a day out. We were only there 30 minutes because of this. I was sad we came out without pumpkins, but couldn’t justify it. I feel like we just wasted money going in the first place :(

In summary - great if you are okay will the costs of everything. Go in prepared to spend money is what I would say (we wasn’t)

No hate just some feedback...

Feel like The Patch absolutely nailed Pumpkin Days this year. There’s just so much to see and do, the pumpkin picking itself is lovely (and VERY reasonably priced per pumpkin compared to some pumpkin patches!) but then there are lots of photo ops, farm equipment to play on, hay bales to climb, slides, a lovely coffee tent with cakes and other treats, and then extras like marshmallow toasting, the barrel train and zombie paintballing (all very safe and suits all ages). It’s obvious how much effort goes into both the summer and Halloween events, and that the people running things actually have children and understand how to make it enjoyable for little ones, while still hassle-free for parents! They clearly also take note of where things can be improved, to make them better for the following year. For example, we loved the two fire pits for roasting marshmallows last year, but this year they had the whole thing down to a fine art, with purpose built fire pit huts, and a booth where all the sticks had been preloaded with marshmallows and stored in special boxes. Every single detail has been thought through, from having car park attendants to plenty of wheelbarrows and toilet blocks. It’s incredible value for money, I loved seeing the 9 year olds I took running round in the fresh air having fun and climbing on hay bales, and checking what type of pumpkins they’d picked on the big posters. All the staff are so friendly too- from the minute you walk in to the moment you leave, you feel like everyone has been primed to make the day special which I think is so rare. This is hands down the best outdoor experience in the MK area and long may...

Difficult one. Hadn't really researched this, just been told it was good.

So on arrival I realised what we had booked. Which was a muddy field just outside Milton Keynes.

We were there for Pumpkins / Hallowe'en and it was dark.

So for context, we were standing in the middle of a dark, muddy field in the pouring rain.

Once inside the Patch there is a decent array of activities under cover, including a bar tent with live music, hot food and games for kids and adults. Great fun.

Pumpkin-related activity was legion. Primarily this involved helping yourself to a wheel barrow and selecting pumpkins from the fields to buy and take away.

You literally wander round the field helping yourself to pumpkins.

To add to the atmosphere there are some Hallowe'en themed photo opportunities, ideal for the 'gram.

These involve props, pumpkins and lighting. Not sure many were improved by the pouring rain sadly.

On a cold, crisp dry night it would most likely have been a very different experience, and entirely more positive.

We took the rain in our stride and despite the great efforts it wasn't an experience we stayed around for.

So go prepared for mud. It's not a theme park or scare event. Young kids will enjoy the novelty, older ones might not for very long.

Also worth noting that she activities were off on the night e.g. axe throwing 🪓 🪓🪓

Overall, quite kitsch and fun I think. Not the slickest organisation but also not horrendous value.

Perhaps obviously in retrospect, quite a weather dependent activity. On a very wet, dank night in October I reckon a solid...