Nixon’s Farm Shop transformed their spaces into an artificial grass play area for their customers.  

Since the early 1930’s, the Nixon family has been working hard at their farm in Cheadle. They started off with a milking herd that they used to supply fresh milk to locals in the neighborhood. This then led to the family rearing pigs and other animals until one day, William Nixon built a slaughterhouse. The slaughterhouse enabled the family to start selling meat, which has allowed the farm to extend and develop into the Nixon’s Farm Shop we know today.  

Nixon’s Farm Shop has a wide variety of activities to make it an entertaining yet wholesome family day out. There is the butcher shop where they sell everything that has been harvested from their farm. In addition to a pet shop to pick up some food, bedding and treats for those furry friends of ours. There is a tearoom together with a play area, to keep the little ones entertained whilst you enjoy your cup of tea or a snack.  

We had the absolute pleasure to be part of renovating the play area to make it cleaner, long-lasting and safer for the guests to play on.  

The Outdoor Artificial Grass Play Area 

Nixon’s Farm Shop wanted to improve the outdoor space for their customers. The grass was being trampled on by little feet daily, which made it muddy and unusable in wetter weather conditions. It wasn’t safe or inviting for children to play on it anymore and they needed to fix this.  

After doing some research into suitable flooring solutions for children to play on, they decided that artificial grass was the answer. At the time many pubs, playgrounds, and schools were getting artificial grass installed to prevent the children from getting covered in mud and bringing into their establishments. It also had the added advantage of usability in all weathers, so there was no need to close the area when it rained.  

Our team of experts were called in to assist Nixon’s on this transformation. We recommended and installed our Arley 30mm pile because of its durability and natural look. It was guaranteed to stand the test of time no matter how busy the farm shop got. Not to forget it doesn’t take much to maintain and the is completely no mud! Making it a worthy investment in the long run.  

The Play Barn  

Due to ever-increasing popularity of the outdoor artificial grass play area, Nixon’s Farm Shop decided to convert an old barn on the farm to extend the play area indoors. This barn conversion would consist of a soft play area and an indoor football field. The goal is to have a larger entertainment area for their visitors but for the areas to be hired out for parties as well.  

The Nixon family wasted no time and got started on the barn conversion, making sure it was clear out and structurally stable. Then, that’s where we came in! After seeing the success of our work on the outdoor artificial grass play area, the farm shop wanted us to work our magic on the inside of the barn. This wasn’t going to be the same as the outdoor area, but we were ready with all the answers they needed.  

Firstly, we needed to level out the area to make sure that the football doesn’t end up only going in one goal. We did this by installing timber edging around the perimeter and then filling the area with 50mm of limestone grit sand. Once this was whacker plated, the area was level and smooth. Making it the perfect condition for a kick about, or to play with friends.  

To preserve the conditions of the two indoor artificial grass play areas, our team of experts fitted a geotextile weed proof membrane just under the artificial grass layer. This makes sure that no weeds can grow through or that surface weeds can embed themselves. Once the membrane was down, it was time for the final touch… the artificial grass! 

Due to the different natures of the two areas, we used two different types of artificial grass surfacing. For the football area, we fitted a 2G artificial grass and lay a silica sand infill to guarantee the longevity of the installation. The grass is a super short, hardwearing pile which with the added sand infill, meant that no matter how much football was played, the artificial grass play area would not wear out or go flat. On the other hand, for the soft play area, we used an outdoor coloured carpet to provide a soft and safe area. By using this alternative, all the toys would be able to move freely on the surface along with the children.  

It’s safe to say that Nixon’s Farm Shop was ready and pleased with the work completed! Their visitors now had more to explore, and families could spend all day there. It was a pleasure to be a part of this transformation and wish the farm shop all the best of luck with their new ventures.

If you are a busy establishment looking to expand or improve any of your customer areas, contact our team for a free consultation.