Context

Natural play equipment created and installed by Caledonia Play at Loch Leven’s Larder in Fife has become an integral part of the farm shop and café. Emma Niven, a director at Loch Leven’s Larder, reveals how it has helped her business grow.

Project detail

Channel of Pittendreich is a third-generation family-run farm located on the north shores of Loch Leven in Perthshire. At its heart is Loch Leven’s Larder, opened in 2005; a farm shop and café that has become a haven for young families looking for a break, a treat and outdoor play.

“We’ve always run it as a family,” explains Emma Niven, owner and operating director. “We obviously have the farm side of the business, but I’ve always run and developed the larder. We started off with a 35-seater self-service café, a little farm shop with no retail space and no children’s play park at all… now look at us.”

Now featuring a 120-seater restaurant, well-stocked deli, bustling gift shop and sumptuous interiors outlet, Loch Leven’s Larder has become a bona fide retail destination, with families at its core.

“It was perfect timing,” Emma says discussing the origins of the larder’s popular children’s play park. “We had young children and we wanted somewhere safe for them. We wanted somewhere that was natural and where the kids would learn about their surroundings. It was an organic progression.”

She continues: “We also didn’t want plastic or bright red and yellow colours. We wanted a place where young families could sit, relax and have a coffee while their children ran around in a safe environment.”

Fortunately, a meeting of minds turned Emma’s vision of idyllic outdoor play into a tangible and durable reality. “I met with Jamie at Caledonia Play and really liked his approach. The relationship started from there,” she explains. “We were like-minded about natural play and he understood what I wanted to achieve. Collectively we developed the idea and we’ve been growing our businesses together ever since.”

The intuitive connection manifested itself initially in the form of a simple play house from Caledonia Play’s Garden Range. The modest installation was soon joined by swings, a seesaw and a Log Maze Climber. Add to that a seesaw Log Train, a wooden tractor, a boat and a Double Activity Tower featuring a slide, steps and barrel tunnel, and Loch Leven’s Larder’s impressive outdoor playground quickly became an integral part of the business.

“We have definitely seen a benefit from installing Caledonia Play’s equipment,” Emma says. “It’s another element that allows people to stay longer and perhaps have two cups of coffee instead of one. It’s definitely one of the elements that helps customers stay longer.”

Central to Emma’s vision was Caledonia Play’s hard-wearing play solutions which are built using slow-grown timbers to deliver fun and safety. Caledonia Play is the only independent manufacturer of natural play solutions in Scotland using materials from sustainably-managed sources. The business hand-builds its wooden play equipment while ensuring the natural beauty of the wood is retained.

The end-to-end service can also include an installation team who ensure timely and efficient assembly. “It was absolutely perfect in the sense that we discussed the brief, how it would happen and when it would happen,” Emma explains. “And I have to say, the guys that built and installed the kit were brilliant. They were so friendly, so professional. They were fantastic. I would definitely say my expectations were met and exceeded. From start to finish, it was just a great process.”