Brookside Pottery
ENTRY
from £3
WHERE
Stockport
What it’s like
Pick a pot, paint it over a couple of hours, and either take it home the same day or come back for it once it's glazed.
You choose a piece of pottery, then sit down and paint it, with a table booked out for two hours so nobody's rushing you through it. Pieces start from £7 for the small decorations and creep up towards £40 for the bigger plates and vases, and on top of that there's a £3 studio fee per pot to cover the glazing and firing. That's on top of the item price rather than instead of it, which is easy to miss until you're at the till.
Once you've painted, you've got a choice: take it home that day, or leave it to be glazed and collect it about two weeks later. That second option is the one to go for if you want something that actually looks like proper pottery rather than a slightly damp painting, though it does mean a second trip.
There's no age limit here at all, and the site is quite firm that this isn't just a kids' activity, so it works as well for a grandparent and grandchild as it does for a group of mates. Weekends and school holidays run 10am to 4pm, and you'll need to book ahead rather than turning up on spec. Parking's free at the garden centre next door, which takes one thing off the list.
For birthdays, an hour's exclusive hire is £199 for up to ten children, with extra kids at £15 a head, and it comes with a private ride on the Brookside Miniature Railway thrown in, which is the bit they'll be talking about on the way home. One thing to flag if it affects you: there's no wheelchair access at the moment, though a ramp is said to be on the way.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- No age limit, so it suits toddlers up to grandparents equally
- Parking
- Free car parking at the garden centre
- Parties
- Exclusive 60 minute venue hire £199 for up to 10 children (£15pp extra)
- The £3 studio fee is charged per pot, on top of the item price, not included in it
- Same-day painting means you take it home wet; glazed pieces take about two weeks to collect
- There's no wheelchair access currently, though a ramp is said to be coming
- Parking's free at the garden centre next door
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
There's a £3 studio fee per pot for glazing and firing, then the pieces themselves start from £7 and go up to around £40 for the bigger plates and vases.
How long do we get?
Tables are booked out for two hours. If you need longer they say to just ask.
Do we need to book?
Yes, booking's required rather than a walk-in setup.
Is it suitable for very young children or is it more for older kids?
There's no age limit at all, they say if you're happy to paint they're happy to have you, and it's not just aimed at children.
Can we do a birthday party there?
An hour's exclusive hire is £199 for up to ten children with extra kids at £15 each, and it includes a private ride on the Brookside Miniature Railway.
Featured in 1 Huddlepin list
See all Pottery Painting & Craft Studios in Manchester · Things to do in Manchester
MAKE A DAY OF IT
