Watershed Cottage

There were signs for Watershed Mill and Craft Centre on the road two or three miles away, but it’s really more of an outlet centre. I didn’t see any craft items for sale. There are lots of clothes, with many on sale for £3-£6, so plenty of bargains. The coffee shop was excellent too. My bacon bap had a generous amount of bacon for £3.50, and a large Americano was £3.

I’d driven past Watershed Mill plenty of times before finally stopping in. The cafe is good, and the range of goods is excellent. It’s on my list for future visits. Give it a try, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

The outside looks quite inviting, which is where the two stars come from. Inside, it feels like somebody ended up with a warehouse and didn’t know what to do with it. There’s a jumble of low quality goods and not much atmosphere: candles priced like Yankee Candles without being them, plastic toys (I do have a soft spot for a decent selection of plastic sea creatures), jigsaws, scarves, and clothes that seem aimed only at Saga members or people over 75. I thought about trying the coffee shop, but the random tables and lack of effort to make it welcoming put me off. It’s functional, but there’s little thought in the design. Not a disaster, just not good.

We stopped by late on a Wednesday for coffee and cake, and the cafe was spotless, with plenty of tables. The food is simple, the prices are down to earth, and even though closing time was approaching, the staff made us feel welcome. There were still lots of cakes and buns to choose from. We had a latte, a flat white and a big piece of carrot cake for £9, hard to complain about that! The cafe staff were especially lovely, particularly the blonde lady with glasses. Thank you, such a lovely person. The shop was bigger than we expected, with gifts, candles, toys and books at the front and clothes further in. The clothing wasn’t our style, which is just personal preference. Brands included Isle, Tigi and Honor Blackburn, and they had some cosy hats. Parking outside is easy and plentiful, with nice river views. Wheelchair friendly.