Doodle Pots (Paint a Pot & crafts)
WHERE
Mossley, Manchester
What it’s like
Paint a pot, make a bear or mix up a batch of slime at a craft studio with its own café for the wait.
You pick a craft and get stuck in: painting a pot to take home, building a bear with foam clay and fluid fillings, or mixing slime that will end up somewhere it shouldn't. There's also clay work and fabric crafts if painting isn't the thing that day. None of it needs much explaining, so it suits a good stretch of ages without anyone needing a grown-up to do it for them.
The pots don't come home the same day. They're glazed and fired on site and take a fortnight to be ready, up to three weeks if the place is busy, and they'll text you when to collect. Worth remembering if it's a present for someone's birthday next weekend, not this one. They will only hold finished pots for three months, so don't let it drift.
You don't need to book most of the time, which is the easy bit. School holidays and Saturdays get busy enough that booking is recommended, and the late Friday opening (until 6pm) is booking only. Hours shift between term time and holidays too, with Tuesdays and Mondays closed in term time but Monday open in the holidays.
There's a café on site doing toasties, kids' lunchboxes and hot dogs, so a craft session can easily turn into lunch as well. Birthday parties run across all the craft types, including a UV light and slime option, with a £50 deposit to hold the date and it's non-refundable if plans change.
Facilities
Need to know
- Last entry
- 1 hour before closing time
- Booking
- Recommended for busy times (school holidays, Saturdays)
- Parking
- Available at George Lawton Hall and the Market Ground
- Food
- On-site café serves toasties, kids' lunchboxes, snacks and drinks
- Parties
- Paint a Pot, Slime Making, Foam Clay parties, UV Light and Slime parties available
- Late Friday opening (until 6pm) needs booking, it's the one session that isn't walk-in friendly
- Term time and school holiday hours are different, Monday and Tuesday swap which one is closed
- Pots take about a fortnight to fire, longer in busy spells, so it's not a same-day gift
- Party deposit is £50 and non-refundable if you change your mind
Plan your visit
Do we need to book?
Not usually. Booking is recommended for school holidays and Saturdays, and it's essential for the late Friday opening.
When do we get the pot back?
It's glazed and fired in house, so allow about 14 days, or up to 21 in busy periods. They text you when it's ready.
What are the opening hours?
Term time it's Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday plus late Friday, with Monday and Tuesday closed. In school holidays Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and the weekend are open, with Tuesday closed instead.
What crafts are on offer?
Paint a pot, bear making with foam clay and fluid fillings, slime making, plus clay creations and fabric crafts.
Is there food?
Yes, an on-site café with toasties, kids' lunchboxes, snacks and hot dogs.
Can we do birthday parties there?
With options across paint a pot, slime making, foam clay and a UV light and slime party. A £50 deposit secures the booking and it isn't refundable.
How long can we stay?
Last entry is an hour before closing, so there's still time to finish up once you're in.
Where do we park?
Parking is available at George Lawton Hall and the Market Ground nearby.
What if we don't collect the pot in time?
They can only store finished pots for three months, so it's best not to leave it too long after the text comes through.
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