Reviews of Mill Race Garden Centre. (Landscaper) in Colchester (Essex).

Mill Race Garden Centre

0 Reviews

354 Comments

Landscaper

Garden center

New Rd, Aldham, Colchester CO6 3QT, United Kingdom

Description

Information of Mill Race Garden Centre, Landscaper in Colchester (Essex)

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Open hours of Mill Race Garden Centre

Popular times

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Reviews of Mill Race Garden Centre

L.

Love this place! Biiiiig into houseplants at the moment and all of the plants here look happy and healthy. Would love to see a wider range/some rarer houseplants! Added bonus of the aquatics centre which is always really interesting to have a look around.

M. D.

I came here a few years ago looking for items for my Lemax Christmas Village and to be honest I was massively disappointed. However someone advised me to come back this year and wow what a difference. The Christmas display is the best I've seen so far and most of the items were available to buy. The rest of the gift area is ok although not as comprehensive as some other garden centres. The queue for santa was a big one so that's a good sign. All in all a much improved experience and will be my first 'port of call' next year. Keep it up.

V. C.

love it . staff are happy to help . and if they ain't got what you want it's not worth having . you got a great choice of everything. I won't got anywhere else and the great Lemax range . pics of my village I'm making .

R. S.

Nice garden centre for a stroll among the plants and perhaps a trip to the cafe! All plants are good and the aquatic section is fun to walk around too. Had a lovely morning visiting here! Might not be exciting for the die hard gardener’s but for us novices more than adequate.

L. R.

Visited the cafe at Mill Race this morning, we have been quite regularly, however on this occasion things were not quite so good. We ordered two toasted tea cakes, a j2O and an Americano. The tea cakes came very quickly as did the J20. The coffee sadly did not arrive at all, my husband went and asked where his coffee was and the young lady behind the counter said she had to take orders as well as make the drinks. There were quite a few people waiting to be served and the coffee never appeared. We had waited about 15 minutes, had finished our tea cakes, we decided to leave. We requested a refund for the coffee which we got without a problem, however it was strange that we were not asked why we were leaving without having the coffee. The young lady behind the counter was taking orders and serving drinks with no help. It was quite clear that the staffing levels are quite short behind the counter. Definitely too much work for one person, someone needed to serve and someone to take the orders. Sadly it will be a while before we go back to the cafe as it is a nice environment and a nice way to end looking around the rest of the garden Center.

s. d. a.

Really good find and some great offers on things we wanted. The plants were being cared for in difficult circumstances AND glad to see that Millrace GC had sensibly priced their cool water with out exploiting the 33deg c temperature today. All good signs.

A. C.

A nice garden centre with variety of areas to explore as well as the usual plants etc. Added bonus for kids is that inside is also Swallows Aquatics and Animal Encounters. Worth keeping an eye on events as in the past they have had BBQ demos, reptile handling and fun days. In the summer months its possible to rent a rowing boat on the river. Cafe is OK and supplies the usual nibbles and drinks you would expect. Prices are on par with other places.

S. C.

Had a fun morning following the trail that leads to Father Christmas, where children are given a small.gift for Free.....amazing well done Mill Race. Wonderful decorations and tree displays. Great place to buy gifts and absolutely everything you could possibly need for the garden . Kingfisher cafe sells good quality and reasonably priced food too. Not forgetting the aquatic centre that was a definite hit with the Grandchildren.

A. C.

A much improved garden centre with a wide selection of healthy plants and a good fish centre selling cold water/tropical and marine fish and all the relevant equipment.

S. D.

We had not visited this garden centre since pre covid. What a transformation, Very well stocked in all departments, the silk flower section is much smaller and the restaurant in much bigger. Various departments have moved within the premises. The plant section is very well stocked indeed now and new poly tunnels are now present with a good selection of bedding plants. Level access and large car park. The tropical fish,cold water fish and pet section is unchanged but again very well stocked Rather expensive compared to other garden centres in the area. However vastly improved.

D. G.

Very friendly and informative staff, happy to water test my Tropical sample and no issues on refund. Next time I go I'll be seeing if they have some sort of loyalty card.

R. H.

An excellent garden it is well worth a visit. There is an extensive range in of plants with knowledgeable staff. There is also an extensive pet center whether fish or reptiles.

B. N.

Very helpful staff. Food good. Garden plants, tremendous variety, good quality, prices - fair. Would go again.

D. J.

A pleasant and friendly garden centre tucked away in North Essex. Had some vegan sausages and caramelised onion sandwiches on a brief stop. Tasted fab! 👍

M. K.

Lovely place, lots of plants and the fish and reptile sections are great! Plus the restaurant serves yummy food in a nice atmosphere 😊 Will definitely be coming back!

S. C.

Absolutely 💯% worth the visit. The restaurant has improved so much over the years in location and size. One of my favourite garden centres.

B. H.

Top quality garden centre with a massive range of plants trees and outdoor equipment tools decorations and home to Swallow Aquatics

D. K.

Are frist visit with our dog very dog friendly place lovely things to buy and restaurant allows pets to seat at back of restaurant or outside with lot of seating while you enjoy great foo. Cakes are amazing

L. B.

Love this garden centre, go alot for a wander. Has everything you need for your garden and even fish and insects to keep your little ones entertained.

l. d.

This is a great local garden centre always worth a visit for plants and garden furniture. Staff always really helpful. Always get our Christmas tree from here as well.

m. p.

Absolutely 👌🆗👍✅ love taking my mum Anne there,!!??,and my good friends mum,daphne,always welcoming and lots to see and do 🎭 there,good food 🍲 too,would recommend it to anyone,

J. D.

I haven't been here for a long time, but was amazed to see how much better it was than the last time I visited. The plants were in very good condition and there was a huge variety. We has some food in the cafe and it was lovely. The staff were friendly and helpful and the gift shop well stocked. There was also ample parking so I will definitely be going there more often.

C. C.

Loved this garden centre which is tucked away. They have lots to look at with plenty of varying items on display. The staff are cheerful and very helpful. Will definitely go back again to have a good look round and maybe try out the cafe.

J. H.

One member of staff gave excellent customer service.Should have asked her name.she was very helpful showing me to the toilets .

C. I.

Lunch was delicious as usual. There is just so much to look and great for gifts.

K. V.

Very helpful, quick and easy delivery

K. W.

Huge selection, lovely displays especially for seasonal events.

J. L.

Food took so long to come from the cafe. It was OK but nothing special. Lots of tables needed cleaning.

A. R.

A small friendly garden centre. The cafe/ restaurant is perfect for an bite to eat and chat.

S. H.

Haven't been here for some time now, but huge improvements with toilets & restaurant. Not too much disabled parking! The restaurant seems nice & at least the coffee was piping hot & the scones were delicious 😋, more importantly the prices are really reasonable. The meals all looked good & obviously quite a lot of regulars. Staff very friendly. The floristry dept didn't seem so big as previous & quite expensive. Lots of Christmas bits as you would expect. Some unusual little nick nacks for stocking fillers. Everything is disability accessible, flat or slight ramps & huge disabled toilet for ♿ wheelchair / mobility scooter users. All in all quite a pleasant visit

s. s.

Nice cafe, loads of fish etc for little ones to enjoy. A bit disjointed like most nurseries but a good one

S. T.

I never leave reviews but WOW Mill race garden centre and its staff deserve 5 stars! My two sons aged 4 and 2 and I visited on Saturday to have a 'look' around and visit Santa, I wasn't expecting much as it was FREE. From the moment we walked it it was so magical and so much to look at! There were 'find the missing letter' sheets and pencils left out for you too take so we searched the garden centre for the clues and ended up at Santa's grotto. Santa spent a good amount of time talking to my children and asking them questions and then handed them age/gender appropriate wrapped gifts. (A book and a soft toy) I was so impressed that I didn't hesitate in going back and purchasing all the lovely things I had spotted whilst roaming the shop :)

G. B.

Good garden centre with lots of parking. The Aquatics centre is large and has lots of marine and aquarium fish but needs updating. Staff are knowledgeable and helpful.

R. F.

Good selection and decent prices. Nice cafe too.

G. H.

The whiskey on your breath Could make a small boy dizzy; But I hung on like death: Such waltzing was not easy. We romped until the pans Slid from the kitchen shelf; My mother’s countenance Could not unfrown itself. The hand that held my wrist Was battered on one knuckle; At every step you missed My right ear scraped a buckle. You beat time on my head With a palm caked hard by dirt, Then waltzed me off to bed Still clinging to your shirt.

A.

Popped through here to see the old World War 2 pill box, but also ended up staying a long time looking at the fish, animals and exotic pets.

A. L.

Nursery basic and reasonable prices.cafe dirty. Seats dirty .food very overpriced and basic fare.

D. F.

Nice garden center. Good selection of water features. Cafe good with plenty of outside seating. Coffee price a little steep.

W. Y. M.

Ordered online, thank you for the speed delivery and effort to package my order with care!

D. B.

We went to the cafe in this garden centre just for a snack. It has a very limited menu, as you would expect; but we were very surprised and delighted to discover it has a variety of gluten-free things to offer. The hot dish - chicken schnitzel - had a very imaginative and tasty coating; while the accompanying salad with water-melon was unusual and delicious.

N. F.

I love this place. Its got everything you need from bbq covers to Christmas decorations to fish and even spiders, reptiles and live food for them. Also got loads of plants as they have an outdoor area and even have Christmas jumpers. A must visit if you like a trip out and they have a toilet should u need one.

I. L.

Lovely garden centre with a very large assortment of Christmas decorations. Need plenty ofctime to look around as it covers a large area with all sorts of different goods. Cafe was good and although I had a problem with what I had ordered it was quickly, quietly and efficiently sorted.

l. h.

There is a great choice of products and the staff are friendly and helpful. Christmas section now open.

C. M.

Great place for all your gardening needs. Staff were very helpful and we purchased all we needed.

C. W.

Lovely place look round. The coffee shop is a dream, lots of room inside or out, nice and quite atmosphere, polite staff. Would recommend.

s. m.

Lovely and clean and the restaurant wow the food is lovely

S. N.

Brilliant atmosphere and overall excellent shopping experience

S. d. W.

Very impressed! We visited with the expressed intention of viewing pond/waterfall equipment. It was the third garden centre we had visited this morning. The previous two no longer stocked the items that interested us. Mill Race did and we will be visiting them again as they had a tremendous stock of all types of garden equipment, plants etc.

S. W.

Very good range of everything you'd expect from a garden centre. And more

J.

Has everything you need from garden equipment and flowers too live fish of all types and birds and feed for animals, wild bird seeds and tables too anything you ever want including clothing, public toilets and a café.

S. V.

Enormous garden centre and aquatics area with massive stock and nice cafe too

J. S.

Great plants, lovely restaurant, never leave without having brought something.

J. T.

Nice garden centre. Nothing that sticks out in my mind about this place is either good or bad. I just think the layout could be better and the signage more consistent and clearer. Customer service very good though and very friendly.

J. W.

If you love Christmas, then here it has in my mind the best Christmas model scene anywhere we spent ages going round it on 2 occasion, and before Christmas will visit again. The rest of the centre is lovely too. The tea room! just needs trying.

T. K.

Nice place with plenty of unique items, good coffee

D. R.

Went to swallow aquatics its ok koi not in great shape and stock is a bit varied

M. U.

Always friendly staff with a good selection of plants, bulbs and everything else you would expect in a garden centre. Covid has limited the amount of choice right now but I still found everything I went in for. The staff that I encountered on my visit were knowledgeable and courteous.

J. C.

A lot of work has been done. New cafe, much bigger and brighter with outside space. Wide variety of plants, some I'm never seen anywhere else. Small, but good selection of pots in all price ranges.

M. B.

Always a good place to visit and a great cafe

N. T.

Great place for Christmas item and great fish. Also now has an animal area where you feed the goats.

j. b.

Really enjoyed my day at the garden centre and the food was very nice

s. “. 2.

Plenty of signs asking for people to wear masks! Which was great. Staff extremely helpful! The one complaint I have is that as a wheelchair user there's a ramp in the store that I couldn't get up without help from my son!

A. A.

Very bitty and needs a refurb. Garden Centre needs tidying up with many dead plants.

D. H.

Great selection and came away with some bargains in the reduce section!

z. “.

More then just a garden centre, there's a boating lake,cafe , animal encounters . Lots and lots of amazing fish.

H.

We've been going to Mill Race for years for the Aquatics section, went recently and was impressed that they have a new Indoor Plant area and the out door plants looked in much better condition than they have previously :D

B. M.

Had a bit of a makeover since my last visit, sections are being moved & revamped. Plant range only average but just got the feeling its about to explode as the season begins. Pleasurable experience as usual. Not to busy.

C. S.

Swallow Aquatics the staff member Sophie was amazing

S. N.

A really pleasant way to spend a couple of hours. Lots of shops incl. The Works and Regatta outdoor, gift ideas, garden bits, cards and a lovely cafe. Today we got £13 off our meal for two and a coupon for £5 off if you visit again in September and spend £30.

P. J.

Nice place, staff helpful and cream jam scones lovely.

R. L.

Why is it that people are more likely to leave a review when they find that one thing in a hundred that they want to moan about? This is easily the nicest garden centre I've been to. The staff were very helpful, the layout is great - my wife is a wheelchair user and had enough room to negotiate her way round with ease and the prices are very, very competitive. Forget Amazon, the BBQ's are cheaper at this garden centre than on the net and you can see them before you buy. Great staff, great selection, great prices. What more could you want?

l. G.

Have been going to the place for years, the new area where you can feed the animals is great and they all look well looked after and happy. Has great selection of plants and amazing aquatic centre /pet supplies store. Staff are always helpful and the tea room is really comfortable with a lovely selection of homemade cakes. Their Christmas department and Santa's grotto has always been brilliant and we returned year after year with our kids as they always gave them plenty of time and made it a truly magical experience . Mill race is definitely worth a visit and I bet you will return time and time again like us.

D. A.

Plants, fish, sweets, coffee.. lots to see and do. Worth a visit if you've never been and if you've been before then I know you'll be going back. 😃

J.

Good variety of plants and veg for growing. Particularly like their pretend flowers, look realistic. Nice cafe.

P. G.

Only really went for the cafe which was very good.

A. W.

Lovely place easy to park very well laid out wide selection of everything, large aquatics center with a few small birds, boating River open on selected days so would check with center on this as was shut when I visited but it was a Monday and raining. Very decently price cafe plenty of seats pleasant service. Lastly large garden center. All in all haven't a bad thing to say

R. T.

Good though not extensive range of garden plants. Most other outdoor paraphernalia can be found and decent prices too. Barbeques well represented. Nice to find a well presented pet and aquatic focus. Plenty of parking and a nice cafe. Very pleasant.

N. B.

It's a garden centre that seems to take its clientele a little for granted, so that it's workmanlike, but a bit dowdy and frayed at the edges. The Aquatic department is good, the staff know their stuff, but again it's old feeling and a little tatty, so a bit of modernity wouldn't go amiss. The coffee room has the same 'just getting by' air, but the food is fine. It's okay, but other garden centres are better.

D. W.

Lovely .Spent a long time there then went on to have lunch the food was good ,portion size was large,bit to much for me but very tasty.

G. G.

Food looked amazing In the cafe, but after waiting an hour for a bacon sarnie we gave up and got a refund. Cafe possibly caught off guard today by a very quiet January and much busier then usual due to everyone being paid. Customer service could of been better and informed customers of the lengthy wait.

M. E.

Lovely place, good selection of household and garden items. Wide range of well cared for fish, rays and amphibians. Range of birds, also all stuff needed to care for them at home. Staff friendly in fish shop found one lady to be quite impolite in main section and didn't know much about the animals but she was on the till so I guess that's why. Haven't used cafe but there's one there, my eye caught a selection of cakes. They have a large outdoor pond woth some lovely big ones in, with a little farm entrance is free but they do accept donations. Sometimes you are able to feed the animals some days you aren't. They have a hand wash facilities also at the end gate of farm. (It's a little walkthrough ) but nice all the same. Worth a visit.

L. M.

I recently bought 4 garden chairs online. They were delivered within the expected time. Unfortunately, one of the chairs had a scratch on it as the box had been damaged in transit. The staff at the garden centre organised a replacement within 48 hours and were very apologetic for any inconvenience caused. Wonderful customer service. Thank you.

C. H.

Plenty of parking spaces. Wide selection of items for sale. Lovely restaurant reasonable prices . Fruit scones particularly tasty

S. S.

We were helped to purchase a spare part for our pond pump by a very knowledgeable man in the Aquatic department. I first phoned Mill Race Garden centre and was greeted by the gentleman we eventually met & told me what I needed to know including how to find the garden centre. My husband and I were very happy and lucky to have his expertise. I told him I gave him 5 gold stars for his help.

d. w.

This garden centre needs to rethink its name because its so much more than a garden centre. It houses Swallow Aquatics, which has an amazing array of tropical Fish and Reptiles! It has beautiful Love Birds and many other little colourful Birds, then outside by the whopper Koi Carp they have little Farmyard Animals . Its totally amazing! This place is Family Paradise! The Owners are so Generous giving so much for free! There are lovely plants and a beautiful artificial flower section, lots of gifts and cards, and a lovely Coffee Shop, with plenty of choice for lunch and snacks. There is also a very big outside seating area for Sunny Days! The Staff are absolutely great!

m. h.

Lots of different places as in fish reptiles halloween plants but no direction to each place so you just stumble on things. Cafe not that good.

D. J.

Very messy layout and not particularly customer friendly. Not easy to find things and few staff to help. Otherwise appears to have a large range of plants, barbecues and furniture and lots of other stuff you find in modern nurseries. Update 2021, after reading they had a big refit we went to have a look, it has a different layout but is still very messy and difficult to find things.

D. W.

Excellent place to spend half a day. Huge range of garden plants, furniture etc. Staff on hand dedicated to giving you plant advice. There's a deli, gift and toy section, etc. The list goes on.... The cafe has been extended and now has a large seating area. Some outside seating with shelter. There's a miniature train that takes children around the grounds. Even a separate coffee / ice cream hut with outside seating. Usually things like cooking demonstrations and children's activities at the weekend / holidays. Excellent, but can get busy on a sunny day!

S. P.

Love going here and dogs are welcome. A good selection of plants.

d. t.

Love this place, but the Aquatic area needs to be tidier. I Appreciate the amount of work that goes into the upkeep, but always gallons of water on the floor, not healthy. Also the old fashioned slats that hang down as you go in, Definitely a No No in our current situation, corona City. Keep up the good work guys, minor adjustments then it’s perfect

R. W.

This is one of my favourite places ever. My little girl loves looking at the animals here and visiting the small petting area which they seem to be working hard on. The cafe here is excellent and we love looking round the gift shops and garden bits whilst we are here

C. M.

Really lovely place to visit. Some great products available on sale and a cafe on site too. Parking is free and the loos are clean. Around Christmas time the displays are really lovely and the aquatics centre is always worth a visit any time of year.

d. v.

It would be 5 stars not a bad place to spend a couple of hours . If you shop on line you will find the same items here expensive. The service in the cafe is diabolical 20 minutes wait for two coffee's ,cake and two bakewell tarts and it wasn't that busy,none of the tables we're cleared we we're left sitting on a table with the previous customers left overs I'm glad I didn't order anything hot I would probably still be sitting there they really need to up there game

L. M.

I go there to get bugs for my reptiles. Staff are friendly, and quick at service and also very helpful. They have a fun selection of animals to choose from and it's always nice to take a look when passing through.

T.

Mill Race Garden Centre / nursery in New Road, Aldham. What a lovely inviting place this has become. All the plants looked lush. Very well tended. Hosts of indoor and outdoor plants. Lots of departments to browse including furniture, BBQs, gift sections and every other garden product you could wish for. There's also an aquatic and birds area. All the staff are friendly and helpful. The cashier serving on the checkout even had a box of treats for my Lily to munch on, just a couple. So thoughtful. And don't get me started on the KINGFISHER restaurant, yes spacious indoor and covered outdoor seating areas. The whole centre is dog friendly. Inside the restaurant there are well spaced out tables at the far end for you to eat your lunch with your pooch. I'm familiar with 10 garden centres around the Colchester area. So as lockdown lifts I'm planning to spend a day at any place that is dog friendly. Four of the ten I looked at welcomes your dog. I used to visit Mill Race back in the day in the 90s when the cafe sold gorgeous home-made cakes and they still do. There are so many dishes on offer from their Light Bites selections of Sandwiches or Panini with at least 14 different fillings. All served with salad and crisps. They have a choice of gluten free bread and cakes too. Plus there are 8 side dishes to choose from. Sausage rolls and scones are home-made daily. Then there's the Hot Lunch, all freshly cooked. Jacket potatoes with 8 fillings. And at least 9 other hot dishes to choose from. I went for the Ham Ploughman's with a side of chips (chunky, crispy & fluffy inside) SEE MY COLLAGE and boy what a lot to tuck in to including their home-made delicious creamy coleslaw. I don't like veg but boy if I could eat this everyday I'm sure I will be eating 3 or 4 of my recommended veggie per day. Actually, with the pickles and salad as well, I'll be well covered.

S. T.

Great place, we went for swallow aquatics but there is a nice tea room and petting zoo plus everything you could possibly need for your xmas decorations! If you are going for fish supplies they have everything there from beginners upwards and very friendly, helpful staff that do not pressure you into buying anything.

M. C.

I personally go to the Aquatics department here. You will find an extensive range of fish and fish keeping equipment. Antony the aquatics manager has an amazingly never ending wealth of knowledge on all fish species so if you have any questions on something new, the advice is readily on hand. Fully recommend a visit.

J. M.

Went there for Brunch, lovely and clean, fantastic food and service, excellent value for money. Keep up the good work.

M. L.

Recently purchased a new patio sofa set via the website. Although there was a wait for the product to come in I was kept informed of every event in the supply delivery (both good and bad news!). Everything I was told would happen did happen! Many thanks and will probably visit the store once the world returns to normal.

w. d.

We came here for pond plants and fish. They have a great range of plants here to pick from. With regards to the pond fish they had a variety of sizes and types to choose from. We picked the deal of 6 fish for £15 Ok they are the cheapest and you can buy them singular too. The questions we had asked got answered by the staff and we were happy with everything.

S. M.

Garden centre gift shop is overpriced but we go there for the great aquarium shop inside, they have a great team of informative staff who never fail to provide us with everything we need. They sell well looked after healthy fish for our tank for an affordable price.

L. G.

Went for breakfast which was good .There have been a lot of refurbishment since we last went and seems to be a good improvement. Excellent Xmas display

G. G.

Easy to navigate around and a lovely little coffee shop/cafe with home-made cakes and Rossi ice cream. Entertained a small child looking round the large aquatics section. We missed the Easter activities and the small farm there but it'll be worth another visit.

M. B.

Great choice of items for indoor and outdoor. For home and garden it's all here. Swallows aquatics have a wide range of marine, cold and tropical fish available including all equipment and accessories. Definitely worth a visit or two. 🐠

S. E.

It's where we get all the stuff for our puffer fish...they have a great selection....if not sometimes pricey. Especially their aquatic plants...get those somewhere else

L. C.

Never been here before, will certainly be returning. Beautifully laid out, good quality goods and well priced. Enjoyed a fabulous lunch too

M. S.

We ordered some cluster lights from Mill Race online to replace a set that went faulty, we found the exact ones we needed (2000 lights and 25M long). This was on the weekend before Christmas and they do free delivery but it said 7 to 10 working days but we ordered them and thought we would get them up maybe just in time for new year. How wrong was I, they turned up 4 days later on Christmas eve. Thank you so so much Mill Race you helped to make out Christmas and get our house lit up again in time for the big day.

T. G.

Very good garden centre, swallows aquatics centre is also very good and staff are fairly knowledgeable, the hire boats are cheap and good family entertainment for an hour. Plenty to see and do plus a little petting zoo outside. Well worth a visit

M. O. (.

Love this place, great cafe, lovely things and good quality plants.

b. m.

Wow !!! What a lovely place to browse, visit and lovely selection of usual items and lots of special items. The meals served in the cafe was excellent and great service.. All I can say it is the perfect place to visit. Well done.

B. S.

Love this little gem of a garden centre. One of the most affordable places to eat and buy good quality items. The pet shop here is huge, with alsorts from tarantulas to birds. And the café has a good selection of foods and great cakes made daily. Definitely one place not to be missed if your in the area.

S. M.

Had a lovely morning at Mill Race, had a look around, took the children to see the animals. Went for a row down the river and finished with the best lunch we have had at a garden centre lately locally. Everybody really nice and helpful.

A. C.

Shipping was very good and the products where very good .restaurant was superb except the doors need little ramps in the thresholds.of the doors .for.us wheelchair uses ..please.please get them.installed it would make the experience five star

R. B.

Good selection of gardening products and plants at competitive prices. Also many novelty items for the home and garden. Picked up a water feature at half the price other garden centres are asking.

R. R.

A gem of a garden centre that is so much more than just that. From Rose's to bbqs and door mats to garden furniture. There is so much choice here that it would take a time to really look through everything.

C. C.

First visit to the garden centre and I was impressed but the place is let down by the poor conditions they keep rabbits and guinea pigs in. The rabbits were in with chickens, with tiny hutches and no hay/grass whatsoever with no enrichment for the rabbits. We also noticed that the guinea pigs had no water which is unacceptable. Please give the same level of attention to these animals.

M. M.

Nice garden centre a little over priced. This place has a swallows which me and my family really enjoy. The cafe is absolutely awful the staff are rude they have no idea what they are doing. The waiting time is terrible. I ordered 2 hot drinks and 3 cakes to take away and it took 25mins bare in mind the cakes were already made they just needed to be put in foil

a. r.

Excellent selection of products. Extensive knowledge of aquatics and small animals/exotics among staff. Could spend hours occupying myself in this garden centelre. Animals well kept and reasonably priced.

D. W.

We love Mill Race and so do our Granddaughters! They have Swallow Aquatics here, the Staff are so knowledgeable and friendly and they keep providing new species for everyone to see! Its Delightful! The Garden Centre really works hard to provide so much and the Lemon Victoria Sponge is divine!

P. B.

Nice garden centre loads of choice.

S. N.

In common with most garden centres this place is generally overpriced, but there's a lot to look at, and a nice little cafe. In the summer you can hire a rowing boat on the river outside. Nice fish section, lots of tropical and marine fish, kids like to look at them!

A.

Seemed a bit run down from previous visits with fewer plants and of poorer quality. This may be because it was towards the end of summer so they may be running down stocks to prepare for the winter selections. The cafe provides a nice range of food and beverages.

D. J.

Went at the wrong time, full of kids running around screaming..... Halloween trail I believe. Avoid if like me can't stand this American gift from over the pond. Otherwise OK.

J. R.

Great variety of products and fair prices. I visited during hot temperatures, this made the viewing area for outside furniture (The reason for my visit) unbarable as it was not very well ventilated. Otherwise a very pleasant place.

M. W.

Amazing garden centre, sells everything you could think of for garden needs, huge aquatic, birds, reptiles and most importantly a very nice tea shop. Must be good because I spent £195-00 today.

A. R.

Lovely tea room/coffee/restaurant, very friendly and helpful staff, wonderful selection including gluten free :) open sensible times :) large shop selling lots of different items - something for everyone!

M.

Nice place, nice restaurant,. But was a nightmare trying to find toilet,. Not well sign posted,. !! Nearly had an accident trying to find toilet.

B. T.

Made a special journey today to purchase a plant with a £30 gift card. Despite the fact they are registered with the HTA they only accept the paper vouchers. I should have checked with the HTA website to see where the gift cards are accepted. It is not made clear on Mill Race website. Went to another garden centre nearby and got what I wanted. Much better variety of all plants and all well looked after.

L. W.

Visit the café restaurant regularly. Good sized portions, delicious, and service friendly and helpful. Will continue to go with family.

C. M.

Great Halliween trail and Christmas displays, plus all the fish for the children to see. My God daughter loved it.

M. S.

Nice place ... good selection...has become really expensive over the years..

M. C.

Great selection of items.. well laid out. Nice improvement with signage as well

A. C.

This is a wonderful medium sized garden center. Lots of woderful garden stuff, also has lots of presents and amazing at halloween and chriatmas with amazing displays. Has a florists and a cafe, with lovely food and staff. Even an animal shop mainly fish, lots of variety from big to small and exotic to common. Has reptiles and exotic animals with staff that really know what they are talking about for both animals and gardening. Well sign posted and would highly recommend.

J. F.

Wonderful breakfast this morning. Big breakfast was great and vegetarian breakfast was lovely. Just added a photo into the photo section.

C. G.

Really love this place swallow aquatics is brilliant. The staff are really helpful and knowledgeable. Prices are very competitive too. Will certainly continue to use this place.

J. W.

Found that the centre needed to be modernised. Went in September disappointed simple things like sellotape on the walls not removed flower tables outside needed a good clean and tidy, plant bays were in want of the wood being painted.

J. T.

Good place for buying cold water, tropical and marine fish. Choice of tanks a bit limited and expensive. Couldn'd find a 48" budget tank and lid with standard lighting to get me into this pastime. If you want an expensive tank with fancy LED lighting that simulates lightening then this is your place. Very good tanks sold at Whyvale Garden Centre in Braintree. Reasonably priced oak based stands and good sized tanks there.

I. E.

Had a great lunch in the cafe. Quality was good and the price was fair. Then found some half price solar lighting for the garden. All in all a good visit 😀.

J. S.

Always used swallow aquatics in Mill race Garden Centre. For my fish and bugs needs. Always a decent variety of things.

P. C.

Lovely visit to Santa!

T. B.

Cosy little garden centre, with a fantastic cafe. They have an aquatic center on site which sells tropical and cold water fish and a few reptiles. Apparently you can also hire row boats from here although I have never been able to when given the chance.

P. T.

Lovely staff so helpful in all aspects. Well set out and a pleasure to look round.

P. W.

Excellent outdoor plants with knowledgeable staff & lady did us a silk flower arrangement while we waited. Loads of Xmas decorations and nice café.

S. B.

Very friendly and helpful staff

S. O.

We visit regularly, only knocking off one star for amount a garden tat and too much space being given over to barbecues. Ok it may be a matter of taste, but more plants please

A. H.

Nice changes to coffe shop, but I have never been charged an extra 50 pence to have a decaff coffee, so will not be visiting again!

J. G.

Looks small and cosy, but is actually pretty large. Sensible layout , plenty of friendly staff to ask for help and very competitive prices. Excellent restaurant too...

J. P.

Top place for fish. I was here for hours, my sister's boyfriend didn't want to leave. Very much like a child He's 29. Anyway Top place, top fish, top plants, top of the pops, last one was a joke but it is a top place

S. H.

Very helpful lady called natasha.

M. D.

Very disappointed with café. Not busy but had to wait 15mins for 2 coffees, tables needed clearing, flooring was dirty.

M. G.

Loads and loads of things to take hour fancy. Great selection of fish and tanks. Cafe is very reasonable price wise too. A fabulous shop.

A. D.

Excellent time, my daughter loved feeding the goats and sheep and the boat ride (a little costly for 30 mins) was good, cafe had great food. Worth a visit.

J. P.

A nice little garden centre. Probably a bit smaller compared to others in the area. Big Tea room, aquatics centre and lots of nice garden ornaments. On this particular occassion i was looking for vegetable plants but there was very little selection.

K. P. A.

Swallow Aquatics exceptional customer service I couldn't be happier. I'm glad they've bought the whole garden centre it has huge potential but needs major updating.

D. B.

Nice garden centre. Lovely cafe too

J. F.

Greatly improved. A very nice Christmas shopping area with some lovely gifts.

S. E.

Great day, boating on the river colne. Great lunch.

S. S.

I went to swallows aquatic that is in the garden centre it's ok but the fish are all mixed up Ie fresh water and salt water in tanks next to each other and also very over priced by a lot compared to most places

A. “. j.

Very nice garden centre, with aquatics shop attached. Extensive range of goods, but as is the norm with garden centres, on the pricey side. Plenty of parking.

C. J.

Lovely lots to see well worth a visit

m. f.

Fantastic garden centre great customer service throughout 👌

K. M.

I love this garden centre, been here twice to purchase reptiles and the staff are so helpful. Highly recommend. Also the place is so pretty and well arranged

J. W.

Only pop in for swallow aquatics when we're passing, some of the tanks need cleaning but a good selection of fish both freshwater and marine.

L. '. S.

Great afternoon for the family. Boating lake, farm animals you can feed, lots of fish, birds and reptiles to see in the pet shop and a cafe to sit down and have a drink and some food.

M. B.

I love this garden centre. Always find a Bargain in one of the area's. Make sure you visit he coffee shop..food is great a very reasonably priced

m. r.

Bit out of the way , interesting place with wide variety of garden and seasonal goods coffee shop. Includes swallow aquatics , large aquarium shop selling marine and freshwater fish

G. B.

Ordered a Kettler Table on Tuesday morning which came with free delivery. Wednesday it arrived at lunchtime. Excellent service

D. “. C.

Great place to take the family

S. R.

Very nice garden centre, with lots to look at and nice service.

M. C.

There is great selection of trees for sale here and good prices. Everything from fruit trees to my favourite of hawthorn.

K. P.

Great little place, knowledgeable and helpful staff, lovely little cafe (although not the best coffee but food is good). Children love coming here too.

S. C.

Best place for reptiles and other non traditional pets, the food is always a good find. The cafe is also very nice and the food is super tasty

E. C.

Very friendly staff and services given you a nice experience and good selection of products, good country setting but the normal country roads.

J. B.

This is a lovely place. Very airy feel and there is a huge variety of plants to choose from

D. S.

Dont use garden centre not much rang of plant but hsve nice cafe and a superb aqutic center can anything neeed reptile as well. Best poace in there really recomend it to other fish and reptile would travel to go rather an local fish reptile store

M. A.

Strange entrance and exit to part of the garden centre but the centre is well stocked. Swallow Aquatics is also there with a good variety of fish and reptiles.

O. a. S. f. a. U. S.

Great place to get pet supplies and reptile food. One very knowledgeable young woman when it comes to reptiles. Fresh live food comes in on Tuesdays I think

s. n.

Lovely place to take children lots of Christmas Decorations and creepy crawly , fish and of course cafe and other thing they sell Loved it there so did my Granddaughter who's 2 and a half.

C. J.

Great walk through of scarey moving haloween models Excellent christmas displays Well worth a visit

L. J.

Really good garden centre

P. G.

Good selection of plants, very good gift shop and very good coffee shop. Helpful and friendly staff.

S. S.

My favourite garden centre in Essex, so quaint has a garden centre, florist, pet shop, cafe and brilliant staff child friendly and you can take your dog.

J. V.

Nice nursery. Sadly, lockdown closure took its toll on plants which suffered with lack of attention. Hopefully things will improve soon.

M. 1.

Nice little restaurant.Appears to have the same aquatic supplier as Maidenhead.

M. S.

Good car parking has a restaurant for light lunch etc has a good selection of plant's to buy has lots of different goods to buy very nice afternoon out will be going back again have very helpful staff enjoyed my visit there

J. R.

Smashing place. Brought my two grandsons to choose six fish for our new pond, great excitement!!

M. J.

We call it our secret getaway. We love the cafes coronation chicken, but it goes fast. Usually nice and quiet too.

P. S.

Good range of garden things. I use it mainly for the aquatics.

P. A.

First visit to mill race garden centre bought plenty of plants arived quiet late so could not look around to much but from what i see will be going again to have a better look .

L. D.

Lots of bits & bobs. Bit of a random set up at 1st sight as you enter. Needs updating. Nice cafe. Fish centre. Free parking

R. G.

Enjoyable garden centre. Every thing for the garden, plus an aquarium area and small farm animal section which was well looked after. Staff friendly and helpful.

E. M.

Great food . very busy . Everything you could need for your garden .great place to find interesting gifts .a great day out .

L. K.

Always a pleasure visiting and always come away with something. Today's visit was cauliflowers.

J. N.

Very helpful friendly staff, huge variety of everything for the garden and aquatics, plus a tasty, reasonably priced lunch.

E. B.

Bought some lovely plants from here, a bit pricey but very good

P. J.

One of the best garden centres i have been too, a huge selection of everything, even farm animals for the kids and fish, birds, reptiles well worth a visit

M. M.

Swallow Aquatics as usual very good products / service. Prices seem to have increased!

J. E.

Rather art deco, little bit old fashioned but good service and lovely food, reasonably priced. Garden centre well stocked, good range of garden products, gifts, etc

R. S.

Great selection, good cafe, superb Christmas displays

F. T.

Great plants and animal friendly lovely place for as sorrel would say a cuppa tea n slice of cake . Helpful staff will defo be returning

J. W.

Really nice garden centre, love going there.

I. G.

I go here as it has an amazing collection of Lemax but it also has lots of stuff that you always see and wonder where others got it from.

P. S.

Xmas starts early at Mill Race! Very knowledgeable staff and great choice as always👍👍👍

S. G.

Lovely coffee and cake and incredible aquatic section

H. D.

Yummy cake in a quiet setting in the cafe. Friendly service. Now has a farm -a pleasant surprise this visit.

D. F.

Lovely garden centre to walk around, coffee shop really nice after its refurbishment would recommend for lunch.

P. W.

Lots of things to see real and fake flowers . Fish and and animals ..food and garden furniture. Nice place to walk round and you can even go boating on the river in the summer. A real family place .

H. H.

The staff where helpful, and when the guy didn't know something he went to find out the answer. They were all pleasent and happy, there wasn't a long time to wait before we where seen too.

E. A.

The pet shop here is really great, apart from that I got a fish that was constantly pointed downwards. Really cool range of pets and supplies

M. C.

What can I say about this place but Wow. First time of visiting and it won't be my last. Spend a lovely 5hrs walking round looking at everything and even bought a couple of Xmas presents 🙂

M. K.

If you haven't eaten, they have a lovely cafe in the middle of the garden centre :) amazing cakes 😋

R. B.

Had everything that we was looking for, saved money, and the food was superb

B. B.

Fantastic cafe with great selection of dishes and amazing cakes. Great for gifts and plants and top class aquatic centre.

H. M.

Great selection of goods. Lovely cafe. Superb stock of fish and birds. Well worth a visit.

P. B.

Good aquatics section, but the garden centre part is currently lacking, as I think they in a rebuild phase.

D. L.

I cycled to the garden centre and used the cafe. Very good food served quickly by friendly staff.

T. B.

This is a very nice garden centre, I can easily spend a couple of hours here looking around. Aquatic centre is good and a very nice cafe serving fresh food.

J. B.

Lovely to walk round as lots of diffent ideas faux flowers are best around.

C. L.

Lovely garden centre so many things to choose from

S. H.

Friendly staff. Great range of flowers and other goods. Christmas range is always good.

J. H.

Lovely garden centre. I always forget the extra nik naks they sell as well, not just a garden centre but more

L. V.

Fantastic garden centre you can get all your stuff here from plants to furniture and bbqs . fantastic fish shop as well and a lovely cafe

J. W.

Fair selection but couldn't find what we needed. Useful outlet for Tigi clothing which we haven't seen much of around Colchester area

D. W.

Friendly staff very knowledgeable I visited swallow aquatic centre there, lots to see, no preasure to buy . Lovely cafe/restaurant .

K. M.

The flowers were kept healthy it was staffed well wheelchair friendly good parking a little pricey

S. C.

Nice garden centre ,nice cafe only downside is we had to wait thirty minutes for a toasted sandwich which when we recieved it we had already drunk our tea .

M. C.

Lots of lovely plants, flowers etc.. Although a bit more expensive they really are top quality

G. C.

Good quality and lots of choice. Visited for Swallow Aquatics which is one of the best aquatics centres in the area.

K. G.

We visit regulary the only improvement i can see is the cafe catering for a wider variety of people and more toilets. Lovely staff and facilities!

M. V.

Lovely lunch. Great bbq section. Best Garden centre I've been to for a while

A. R.

Staff can be very opinionated at the best of times other than that there are some good staff here some good products and the aquatics part has its ups and downs but mostly good

T. W.

a bit pricey for plants but GREAT to look around especially at Christmas time . Very good Cafe

K. D.

Friendly staff I like this place. It's one of the best place were you can get good fish for your tank

S. T.

Plenty of choice, lots to explore, prices not too bad, not the cheapest.

s. g.

Lovely place very helpful staff best selection of aquarium stuff and fish I have seen

R. V.

Lovely little garden centre although the outside planting areA needs a really good tidy and organise. Seems so disjointed

G. R.

Nice place, will definitely go again. Only let down by understaffed cafe, had to wait 25 minutes for tea and cake.

T. P.

Only went in for aquatic plants so limited in knowledge but found what I wanted

P. O.

Going through change for Xmas so difficult to give a proper comment. But we'll stocked.

S. C.

Always enjoy shopping & cafe

M. A.

Never shopped in the garden centre but the aquatic centre is brilliant having everything you need in one place.

J. F. C.

Plenty to see at this Garden Centre including Swallow Aquatics and a nice tea room if you need a break at some stage.

I. B.

Great garden center with friendly staff, a great little cafe, plenty of parking, and of course.... Swallow aquatics. 👍

N. J.

Lovely place, you can get lost in here easily. Lovely aquatic area. Lots offered here.

K. L.

Lovely place to walk round. Went boating, looked at plants, farm animals ,gifts and aquarium fish.

r. s.

Great place to find all your garden needs. Excellent aquatics center.

A. T.

It's like a treasure cave! So many different parts to look in. All with lovely gifts, plants, and more....go and take a peep.😀

T. D.

Love the new food court !! Absolutely lovely food choices

v. G.

Excellent staff incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. Brilliant selection of stock to chose from. Definitely worth a visit.

e. g. (.

Great garden center with everything you need!

P. S.

Good food in the cafe, nice for plant hunters and.good for the aquarium supplies. Be back soon

S. p. S.

Fab place

S. F.

Nice garden centre, excellent staff in cafe, and v good value food.

R. H.

Went for pet products, staff were very friendly and items reasonably priced

S. B.

I go here to get tropical fish. Don't know the gentlemen's name but he had helped endlessly with getting the right plants for my aquarium

B. C.

Great place. Lots of ideas,gifts and everything you need for your garden

m. g.

Very good nursery. Only fault being a very bad access to the lower part.The turning down is very tight with mobility scooter.

T. R. G.

Always a lovely place to go, they have a nice canteen and a superb aquatic section.

J. C.

a good place to visit and enjoy the cafe before you start. visit the fish tank department you will be amazed

P. H.

Loads of choice, friendly staff and great cafe

P. J.

Went to buy tropical fish but all quite pricey. Could do better at Bypass Nurseries.

P.

Used the cafe for lunch. Reasonably priced and great service. Very child friendly.

D. S.

Ok

E. H.

Always a nice place to visit. Great fish and kind centre and good cafe.

R. B.

A hidden gem! Love the aquatics section too. A very comprehensive level of stock throughout.

M. S.

Great garden and aquatics centre, only thing is the coffee shop be prepared to wait a while for a coffee and a bit of cake..

L. W.

Yea alright here. Fish , reptiles, Animal petting area, a Cafe and nice lady behind the till in the Aquarium area

l. h.

Lovely Garden Centre. Staff extremely knowledgeable. The staff member in the BBQ centre was brilliant and very helpful.

L. S.

Everything you could want for the garden and fish pond with some lovely gift ideas.Lovely ladies in T room.

H. A.

Well stocked but very expensive.

R. N.

Lots to explore. Easy, free parking. Well stocked. Great coffee shop.

D. L.

Love coming to Mill Race with the other half and the boy, he loves going to see the fish and it's even better when i get to buy some as well....

M. S.

Lovely selection and the food is reasonable too

S. M.

What a lovely place to shop, guarantee you'll find something to buy. Good priced too.

H. S.

Great place to get garden items. Very good aquatics centre with knowledgeable staff

M. A. M.

Lovely place to visit, lots of shopping and has one of the best aquarium and pet specialist companies around.

t. J.

Love this place lots of lovely plants staff helpful and you can get a decent cuppa and food

S. H.

Good range of items for home & garden, great prices and excellent reptile/aquatic centre

G. S.

Always receive great service here and the prices are reasonable. It's become my go to fish shop.

M. H.

Very good garden centre and shop

E. N.

Love this garden centre, lots of things to look at and lovely cafe, the kids love looking at the massive aquatic centre too!

d. p.

Loved it so much christmas bits omg so happy

A. M.

Good selection of items, fairly priced. Lots of fish to buy aswell

J. m.

Swallow aquatic is the best in the area. Main garden centre a bit run down but it is huge with a massive range

F. C.

Great garden centre to visit,a variety of plants,trees,garden tools.Nice cafe and a fantastic aquarium shop.

H. i. h. 6. M.

This is one off the most beautiful place to come and see with lots of great plants and lots of lots more

G. T.

Biggish garden centre with swallow acquatics for ponds and other water features

J. W.

Excellent Garden Centre with a wide range and great staff. A must visit.

j. w.

beautiful xmas displays and a great range of xmas based

P. C.

Love the revamp. Restaurant a huge improvement

D.

Great garden centre, good mix of plants, florist, garden furniture and a nice little cafe too.

S. H.

Nice cafe, and very good value. The plants always look in very good condition also.

A. L.

I only come up here for Swallow aquatics which, since sea pets has gone, is the best pet shop round colchester in terms of reptiles and fish.

J. L.

Lovely place! Loads to see although some things are on the pricey side!

A. H.

Went there for swallow aquatic who have a great range of fish, best in colchester.

J. O.

Great aquatic selection. Much bigger garden centre than it looks from the outside

D.

The florists has done a lovely job with my wedding flowers highly recommended

J. B.

Nice little hidden gem of a Garden centre with a lot of choice and a good little cafe.

A. D.

Nice nursery getting Christmas decorations in got a cafe and they also sell tropical fish

C. W.

Nice place use it mainly for Swallow Who have amazing variety of fish for sale ..

R. A.

Nice garden centre good selection of plants gardening equipment and garden features.Good tea room.

P. A. P. C.

Went to the aquatics centre. Knowledge and helpful

D. G.

excellent things to do and see for young children Nice light meals in the Cafe

N. C.

Large selection of products at great prices. Staff are friendly, helpful and very knowledgeable.

S. P.

Aquariums and small petting farm ideal for kids also had a cafe with lovely cakes

S. W.

Nice all round selection of goods as well as healthy plants

D.

Really well presented shop staff very helpful.

L. H.

Excellent shop... helpful staff..only reason not 5 star's bit pricey

M. D.

Plants are well kept, friendly staff. The Cafe is good value

S. H.

I go there for the aquatics section. It's worth the trip and the food in the cafe is good.

S. J.

Good prices and good quality and very good stock.

S. S.

Interesting place. Best aquatics centre in the area. A little over priced though.

M. M. h.

Garden Centre lacks choice, but Swallow Aquatics excellent choice and informed staff

R. W.

Nice garden centre with a good cafe gift centre and home wares section very good

P. J.

Lovely garden centre, cafe there, well worth a visit.

S. T.

Good choice of healthy plants, nice coffee shop. Staff helpful

K. P.

Good walk around and a good coffee shop.

N. R.

Love this place

A. B.

Lovely garden centre with plenty to browse. Nice restaurant.

s. m.

Lovely nursery with a lovely café

L. S.

What a place to cheer you up, Merry Christmas 🎅

T. G.

Good garden center. Has just about everything you need for outdoor activities.

m. w.

This place has had a make over and is looking much better than before

J. P.

The restaurant was a bit dark and small but the food is very good

J. O.

Very small pet shop but the fish tanks were gleaming.

W. J.

Great aquatics centre, social distancing measures, plenty of parking

A. W.

Lovely Garden centre, was very busy, all decked out for Christmas.

A. J.

You can relax in this place and buy a lot of nice things , not only to the garden.

J. B.

Brilliant range of everything you need for the garden

D. M.

Visit here regularly for swallows located within, very good pet shop.

T. C.

Great garden centre and the aquatics section keeps the kids entertained.

R. P.

Food in cafe very good and lots of interesting things in shop

J.

Lovely garden centre, lots of choice. cafe excellent.

j. n.

I always enjoy visiting wether its for my animals, my garden or just to have lunch.

S. C.

An ecclectic mix of gardening essentials and assorted other wares . Nice coffee shop

A. B.

Good garden centre, nice cafe my son loved it

N. S. (.

Great selection of everything for the garden and home, great selection of fish too

C. W.

A very quick visit but exactly what we needed. Never disappointed

G. “. L.

Great garden centre and the pet centre in there is amazing

B. W.

Only went to buy fish not plants

D. M.

Great prices and lovely Christmas 🎄

A. H.

Very enjoyable visit also good food in the restraunt

D. C.

Great shop I could spend a long time looking round it

C. G.

Very helpful staff, good prices, nice place.

J. A.

Impressive range of plants, trees shrubs and fish ! At competitive prices.

J. B.

Very large store and pet place massive fish shop for all your aquarium requirements

L. C.

A really good santa and display this year with santa only needing a donation.

G. P.

Lovely Lunch. They are in the throws of putting out Chrismas stuff.

L. L.

Fantastic service today from Tracey today in the Norfolk team - thanks!

J. F.

Very hot and dark in the indoor sections but nice stuff

S. P.

Really good range of products

T.

Good place to visit nice plants and good fish tropical and marine

D. M.

Good range of products and plants, but a bit on the pricey side

K. D.

Good

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