Perrywood Garden Centre, Tiptree recently completed a full refurbishment of its Coffee Shop and Restaurant, shaped by customer feedback and designed to give visitors more flexibility, comfort, and choice.
The changes have been well received by regular visitors. The dining area has been newly decorated throughout, with brand new ambient lighting, elegant new tables and chairs, and a striking biophilic moss artwork installation that brings a natural, calming feel.
A New Way to Order
The centrepiece of the refurbishment is a new table service model built around choice and convenience. On arrival, customers are greeted by a host and shown to a table. From there, they can order in whichever way suits them best:
- At the counter – as has always been the way, customers can order directly with a member of the team at the bakery counter, with cash and card both welcome
- At the table – order via the Perrywood app using the QR code or table number, without needing to move
- At the kiosk – use the new touch-screen ordering kiosks
Whichever route customers choose, the goal is the same: less queuing to order. Now customers can find a seat immediately and by ordering via the app, there's no need to get up again.
Perrywood's friendly team remains at the heart of the experience, on hand for a chat and ready to help anyone who'd like a hand using the app or kiosk for the first time.
One regular customer commented on their Google review “The updated coffee shop system, furniture, crockery and ambiance, has improved an already good place to eat, to a great place. Really impressed with the changes.”
Listening to Customers
The much-loved cake counter has been kept exactly where it is. Perrywood said the decision reflected direct customer feedback, with shoppers telling the team how much they enjoy browsing the home-made cakes in person before deciding what to order.
Louise Smith, Senior Communications Manager at Perrywood, said: "The changes have been based on feedback from our customers with the aim of creating a better overall guest experience while giving customers more flexibility and choice in how they order. We are very positive about the improvements we've made and pleased to see that they provide a more flexible and enjoyable experience for our customers."
A Sustainable Refresh
The refurbishment was also carried out with sustainability in mind. Rather than replacing furniture wholesale, only the worn tabletops were renewed, while the existing table bases were retained. Chairs still in good condition were donated to local charities and community groups, who were delighted to collect and re-purpose them.
