Marlows Place in Mendip

We have a lovely little browse around Marlow's Place new boutique store. They have such such Lovely little bits. We brought some leggings and tops and the owner who's name I sadly didn't catch was so helpful and placed all our lovely new items behind the till while we scouted out some beautiful leggings sets. Can't wait to pop back in soon.

We only had hot chocolate, which was nice and as expected, but why I'm putting 5* is because this was an ideal stop for us with our crawling/cruising very nearly one year old; it was torrential rain and we were exploring the area for a few hours before we could check into our cottage. Our baby was fussing due to being confined to tye car and then pushchair. This cafe was the perfect stop, she could crawl about and play with the toy kitchen and other items, there was a low table and chairs for her to cruise along. There's ample space for buggy parking out of the main room and a stair gate meaning our baby couldn't go far. Yes the toys are well used and well loved and I don't know how often they are cleaned (if I was that bothered I could have wiped them myself, I'm sure I could have borrowed the spray bottle of Milton the owner used for the tables). I wish there were more places like this!

I've visited here a number of times since it opened and feel some aspects are going downhill. Starting with the positives, the food is always fantastic, particularly regarding the baby/toddler/child menu and they cater extremely well for children with allergies. The coffee is ok; it's hot and wet! The shop area is also great and they have some beautiful clothes for mummy and baby. The toilets and baby change facilities are brilliant and it's all very baby/toddler friendly. My reason for dropping two stars is because every time we go my 16 month old gets ill within 24-48 hours of our visit. Picking up some virus from the miriad of other children passing through. On my last visit I felt the toys were dirty and tired (broken/falling apart/old). Although they were tidied away I never saw them being cleaned. The same is true for the highchairs. I cleaned the highchair before using it because it had been put back on the pile dirty and I saw that the same was done after I had used it. Although the tables were cleaned between customers sitting at them, the highchairs didn't appear to be and the toys I don't think had been cleaned or disinfected in weeks. The seating area is fairly small which is brilliant for meeting other young families and socialising but there's little/no fresh air throughout the day and coupled with filthy toddlers dribbling all over the place it felt like a prime germ breeding ground. This feels a real shame as I do love this cafe and they have so much going for them and I really want to see them succeed. However after catching yet another bug following our visit it's unfortunate we won't be visiting again for a while. A little more care and attention to the cleanliness of the toys and equipment would see me return.

A brilliant place to take little ones. I brought my daughter here for messy play and the venue is great. Very welcoming for parents and a lovely selection of light bites and drinks.

We visit here again and again with my 2 and 1 year old as I feel it’s a safe, welcoming place for me to actually enjoy a coffee out!! There’s plenty of toys for the kiddies and craft if you’d like. They’re patient and helpful and we drive half hour to come here because we like how it’s aimed at families. There’s changing facilities and little extras if you’ve forgotten anything. There’s different classes etc as well. It’s always clean, punctual and the food is healthy and yet a treat for little ones. Perfect!!! This is a small business I will continue to support!

Billy 13 months loved dad’s club, especially his baby platter. 😋 loved meeting the other babies and having fun playing together.