My First Trip to Cotes Mill: An Aladdin’s Cave of Wonders
8th July 2015
It’s hard to not swoon over the stunning pictures of our Cotes Mill HQ; the amazing renovated 16th century Cotton Mill, the pond filled with our gorgeous feathered friends, the cute little cabin on the lake complete with a fleet of canoes, and the list goes on! So, when I heard we were heading up there, I became a little giddy at the thought of getting my first chance to explore.
You get a strange feeling walking around somewhere you’ve never been but you’ve seen so many times before. I had it last year when I was in New York, it’s like walking around a film set. Working for the PR team in London, I see pictures of the Mill pretty much every day, but even our amazing images don’t do this place justice.
As soon as I stepped into the huge airy entrance I think I actually said wow! As cliché as it sounds, it just is one of those places that takes your breath away.
Split over four floors, it’s pretty easy to get lost in this maze of loveliness. Around every corner you discover a new vintage gem or beautifully crafted piece of furniture or your dream kitchen.
I absolutely love markets. The abundance of bric-a-brac filled streets is probably one of my favourite things about living in London. But this was like exploring the best flee market ever, where someone has filtered all of the tat and only left the pieces you covet until you can’t resist running back around to buy. Everything I saw I wanted! Unfortunately, my tiny London pad probably isn’t big enough to fit it all in.
My next stop was the idyllic pond, where I got to meet all the beautiful birds who also call the Mill home. I think my favourites were the adorable family of Swans with their baby Cygnets. They were just so cute and fluffy!
Hanging out at the Cabin in the sunshine, it’s hard to think of this place as an office or even a showroom. It’s more like a retreat, an exciting day out with the kids or an adventure into Aladdin’s cave and then the Secret Garden – basically my childhood fantasy. Next time I’ve been promised a canoe trip to the pub – I can’t wait!
Cotes Mill is open Monday – Friday 8:30 am – 5pm and Saturdays 10 am – 5pm
