Cadburys World
Recommendation added: 26/03/2006 10:37
By: jsimons128 (YSUK rating +93)jsimons128 has been thanked 6 times for this contribution
"Anyone who's ever tucked into a Cadburys product will find something to interest them at this jolly place-not a factory tour, but a specially built centre next door, with all you could feasibly want to know about how their chocolates are made and marketed. Displays can throw up alarming statistics: for example, if you set out to eat Cadburys annual output at the rate of one bar every five minutes, it would take you 16000 years. The history of chocolate is given something of a corporate bias ( you could be forgiving for thinking nobody has ever made it apart from the Aztecs and Cadburys), and no ones pretending they're not just trying to flog more of their goodies, but the exhibitions have been put together with a real sense of fun. Children in particular get a lot out of it; many of the major parts have been specially designed with the younger visitors in mind, and there are plenty of buttons to press on the way round. Highlights for them include the interactive Cadburys land show (a colorful film presented in the multi-sensory theatre), an alternative view of chocolate making offered by Mr. Cadburys parrot in the fantasy factory, and Cadabra-a nicely silly ride through the imaginative themed world in a car shaped like a cocoa bean. But what really sticks in the mind (and around the mouth) is the chance to sample fresh liquid chocolate, straight from the vat; you can have a go at dipping it into moulds. Older visitors may prefer the nostalgic Cadburys TV adverts from the last 40 years (some from overseas), and there's a collection of period wrappers shown in the 1930 style sweet shop. Depending when you visit, you may see a genuine packaging plant, with fruit and nut bars being wrapped. There's also an exhibition on how they make the chocolate ads that start and finish Coronation Street. The outdoor play area is good-and useful for burning off chocolate-caused calories; there are plenty of picnic areas and tables next to it. A typical visit lasts a little over 2 hours (most of it under cover) but you'll need to book in advance to be sure of getting in, on popular days, tickets can be sold out well in advance, and if you turn up you may find that their full. Meals, snacks, good shops (some bargains and unique varieties), and mostly disabled access."
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