SCOLTON Manor’s reputation as one of Pembrokeshire’s favourite family attractions has been boosted by a £160,000 investment.

Ready for visitors this Easter are a range of new features, including an adventure play area, a welcome centre and gift shop, and the newly-remodelled ‘Edie’s Tea Room’.

The funding comprises £128,000 from Welsh Government and the EU with the remaining £32,000 from Pembrokeshire County Council.

The attractions were unveiled officially on Friday. Mark Thomas, manager of Scolton Manor, said the team were looking forward to welcoming visitors to the site.

“We’re delighted with our new facilities and believe they perfectly complement the attractions we have here already at Scolton,” he said.

The adventure play area includes a 30-metre zip-wire, a spinning climbing web, ‘super swings’ and more. The area is aimed towards older children while younger ones can enjoy the wooden playground already on site. There is also a sensory musical play area and woodland play features.

The welcome centre and gift shop - complete with mini ice-cream parlour - has been created by renovating an existing building near the car parks.

“We believe the centre will offer a much improved visitor reception to Scolton,” said Mark. “It will provide information and guides to all our attractions, including the walled garden project, beekeeping centre, and the Victorian manor house with its changing schedule of exhibitions.

“There are also timetables for family activities, a range of gifts, and tourist information on other attractions in the county.”

A highly-anticipated new feature on the site is the new ‘Edie’s Tea Room’ adjoining the manor house, named after Edith Higgon from the Higgon family which ran the Scolton estate in Victorian times.

As well as providing a delicious new menu, the tea room intends to be a more accessible and welcoming space for visitors and includes a second-hand bookshop.

Much of the tea room re-fit work was carried out by Norman Industries, thanks to a £12,000 grant from the Welsh Government Integrated Care Fund.

Mark said he felt the new developments not only enhanced Scolton’s role as a community facility, but also provided people of all ages with a wider range of countryside experiences at a lower cost.

“It will continue the development of the site into a must-visit tourist attraction within mid and North Pembrokeshire,” he added.