Adventurelands childrens play centre in Newcastle
   
 
Adventurelands childrens play centre in Newcastle
 
 
 
 
 
Adventurelands wins ASPIRE national awards

Adventurelands scooped both the ‘Best Food and Beverage' and ‘Brand of the Year’ awards at The Play Providers Association’s (PPA) first annual ASPIRE (AwardS for the Play Industry Recognising Excellence) Awards held in Birmingham this week.

Adventurelands entered the awards only as a starting point to raise their profile and build their brand outside of the North East. Little did we know we would win in both categories we chose to enter.

John and Nicki were shocked at the result: “This was really unexpected. To win one category was excellent, but to win ‘brand of the year’ too?! We’re thrilled to receive such an accolade. The fact that the awards are national is just fantastic for Adventurelands and the North East.
 
Best Food and Beverage


Adventurelands has successfully developed an excellent reputation for the standard, range and quality of its food and beverages offerings. It has superb facilities, a comprehensive menu and a maximum five star rating under the Scores on the Doors food hygiene scheme. The Centre has recently been nominated for an award for its healthy eating philosophy, which is the cornerstone of its business strategy.

There has been a substantial investment in creating a well-equipped and responsive kitchen and bistro. This is run by four qualified chefs and a number of support staff and is fitted with the latest in combination ovens, blast chilling equipment and salad preparation area. All meals are freshly made to order and accommodate any specific dietary requirements requested.

The Centre has a wide menu selection specially designed for both children and adults offering a vast choice of meals to suit all preferences. These standard menu items are supplemented by ‘Daily Specials’ in order to create something a little different and offer seasonal variation. Much success has been achieved with a Sunday roast carvery where customers can see and smell the fresh ingredients as they are served.
There is a strategy towards beverages of providing a Starbucks type approach with speciality coffees, in addition to the wide range of children’s soft drinks and flavoured waters. It has installed a separate juice bar offering a selection of freshly made smoothies, juices and milk shakes. This also provides a second outlet for coffees and other beverages to reduce waiting time at the main bistro counter. Adventurelands also provides a selection of wines and beers to complement the adult food menu.

The underlying business philosophy is the promotion of child health through activity and healthy eating choices. This is reflected in the use of fresh local ingredients and the absence of confectionary items for sale. Many parents comment on the range of fruit bowl snacks, crudités and humous dips on offer as alternatives to traditional fast food offering and the Centre has been nominated for the ‘Heart of Newcastle’ award for its healthy options and fresh cooking practices.
 
Brand of the Year

Adventurelands has successfully created a well-known and comprehensive corporate identity. A consistent approach has been achieved through a graphics tool box, including a readily identifiable logo and colour scheme, created by Rufus Abajus. This graphics toolbox includes appealing Adventurelands’ characters based on the logo and representing a variety of relevant activities.

The toolbox was applied in striking external signage, sympathetic internal decor for the Centre and staff uniforms. In addition it informs a large portfolio of advertising and display materials from leaflets to internal posters, menus, free passes and party materials. Elements from promotional leaflets and signs have combined with the graphical representations of the design of the play area of the centre to create a unique website that vividly reflects the company’s philosophy.

Advertising in newspapers uses the corporate identity and awareness of the brand is further developed through a range of products for sale or for gifts at birthday parties. When Adventurelands first opened impact for the brand was achieved through placing a video advertisement featuring the owners’ children using play equipment at the centre at busy cinemas during school holidays alongside the latest box office hit film for kids. Adventurelands has subsequently promoted its brand through other media including children’s hospital appointment cards, direct leaflet drops, use of tourist board outlets, and through day nurseries.

The brand has been further enhanced by Adventurelands’ sponsorship of the Metro Radio’s charity “Just For Kids” which has TV personalities Ant & Dec as its patrons. Adventurelands’ profile has been raised through the distribution of the charity’s magazine to all schools in the north east region and a link from Metro Radio’s website. A dramatic endorsement of the Adventurelands brand was provided by use of the Centre as location for local star Robson Green’s prime time ITV show “Wire in the Blood”. Many customers and suppliers reported recognising the centre from its brief appearance in an episode.

The co-ordinated visual presentation of the company’s public image serves to set it apart from its competitors, provides easy recognition, establishes trust and creates a positive identity though a local brand.