This is a park - one of two I visited on my recent travels in the north west of England. But this park is not your standard municipal park – the kind of which we have so many quality examples in Scotland. This is a park within a park – the park area within The Centre Business Park in Warrington. Staying at the Village Hotel there, I discovered this little lake beautifully landscaped and at the heart of the office buildings.

Judging from the car parks I am guessing that even a business district as attractive as this is still suffering from the post-pandemic debate on home v office working. It does seem to epitomise the real challenges facing desk-based businesses and what is best for balancing business viability needs against employee needs. The evidence still seems muddied, with contradictory messages coming out from the various sides of the debate. But this park also held a sad little story, told on a commemorative stone, set at the side of the lake.

“On 14^th September 1940 a summer gala was held on this site, then known as Arpley Meadows. More than 2,500 people were present.

At 5.30pm a lone German bomber passed overhead. Two bombs were released.

Sixteen men, women and children lost their lives. Many more were seriously injured.

This stone was erected in their memory.”

The second park I visited was very different. It opened 70 years ago and is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the north. Chester Zoological Park – aka Chester Zoo – is a beautiful location that has been leading the move away from traditional zoo to a conservation hub.

Chester Zoo really is an amazing tourist attraction. They have clearly carefully studied the very best examples of park design and incorporated these lessons into their layout and operations. It certainly made me think about the changing role of these places into conservation hubs, as well as the asset the venue is for the wider local economy.

Of course, the animals always make the event such fun – and watching the reactions of children of all ages offered almost as much entertainment as the animals.

The downside of such a great park is that there is no way that it could all be done in one day. But surely the best attractions want you coming back for more?

So well done to the people who manage both these very different parks. Both require an understanding of what works for their customers but clearly want to aim for quality.

Both have to keep adapting to change and both are operating in challenging and competitive markets.

Lead well

Graham