Reviews of Water Fowl Sanctuary and Children's Animal Centre, Banbury
Review by anon on 21st August, 2014
Add your review Date visited: 21/08/2014
Very disappointed will not be returning. Place very tired and in desperate need of TLC. Shame, could be a very nice place to visit with children. Maybe new,younger, passionate staff is all this place needs to inject some fresh ideas and make the most of its potential.
Review by N h on 20th April, 2014
Add your review Date visited: 19.04.14
A beautiful un commercialised little gem. Very simple, yet a haven for animals. A very enjoyable visit , and most enjoyable for children. So nice to see somewhere where you don't feel as though they are 'in it' just to make money, but rather looking after animals is more important than this. Will definately visit again, even though it is not the closest farm.
Review by Val on 9th February, 2014
Add your review Date visited: 2 January 2014
On his return home to Spain, My 5 year old grandson declared this was his favourite activity of his 3 week holiday in England (which had included expensive visitor attractions, theatre, and parties). We found this place by web search. It could benefit from more promotion. Although ramshackle it has lovely caring atmosphere. Boisterous 5 yr old loved sitting calmly to handle the animals . Both he and 18 month old loved the informal playground and the birds. They didn't notice that Thomas was tatty. Refreshingly uncommercial and a rewarding cheap family activity.
Review by Becky on 15th October, 2013
Add your review Date visited: 31/05/13
Saw the sign posts from the main road many times so thought I'd take my 4 year old niece. The farm looked old fashioned when we arrived but the staff were very welcoming. Glad we both worn wellies as the ground around the ponds was very wet. My niece enjoyed looking at the chickens and Turkeys. She enjoyed the play area. Thomas the tank engine could do with a new lick of paint. She loved sitting on the old tractor and keeps saying can we go back to the place with the tractor. At the end she enjoyed holding the baby rabbits and chicks. The place looks old fashioned and is not like some of the fancy attractions around here but as others have said the staff really care about the animals. My 4 year old niece loved the farm.
Review by Sarah Finet on 10th July, 2012
Add your review Date visited: 10/07/12
A very uncommercial day out. The owners really believe in rescuing and helping animals. It was a pleasure to meet people who really do what they believe in. The children really enjoyed feeding all the beautiful cockerels and ducks and geese. There was plenty of space and cuddling the animals at the end was wonderful.
Review by Liz Wyatt on 14th June, 2010
Add your review Date visited: 13/06/10
Having recently had this place recommended to me by a friend I decided to visit yesterday with my partner. I was particularly interested as it is possible to handle the baby animals like rabbits and chick. We had a great time! As the previous visitor says, it's not commercial at all and as a family run business you is exactly as you wuld expect. It is obvious a lot of hard work and love goes into breeding and taking care of the aminals and birds. I suspect the disappontment in this place may come about through poor advertisement. I though the childrens park was great, swings, a large Thams engine and plenty of safe spae to run around. I think the users' experience depends on expectation, and I knew what to expect. It was a lovely old fashioned day out with baby rabbits to hold! I agree that to expect one to pay when you want to purchase an animal is poor, but I think it's great that the animals are being held to get really friendly and tame before being sold.
Review by Leona on 23rd March, 2008
Add your review Date visited: March 24, 2008
My husband & I visited to look at hens advertised. After looking at some near the parking, we went inside where a teenager asked if she could help. I said, no, we wanted to look at chicks, telling her that we had been in the "sanctuary" behind the store last year and merely wanted to look at the animals inside. I was looking around & waiting to ask some questions, when the man who was running the petting area, insisted that we pay to look around, even if we didn't go outside because "this is not a pet store." We didn't have children with us, we were checking out whether this would be a good place to purchase hens & he wanted FOUR POUNDS each to browse! Absolute extortion.
Funny thing, their web site says they are a licenced pet store, there's a sign on the road promoting hens for sale and signs on other animals saying whether they are for sale or not, which sounds like a pet store to me. This was just rude & unnecessary behaviour on the owner's part. We won't be back & anyone who asks me about appropriate sights to see in Oxfordshire will be warned not to bother with this one.
Review by Chris Dale on 21st February, 2007
Add your review Date visited: Feb 17th 2006
We visited with our 2 year old grandson and had a wonderful time. The highlight was the ability to handle the animals and have a real encounter with them instead of just looking over fences.
The owner was helpful and friendly and took the trouble to answer questions.
The weather was typical February but that didn't matter with lots to explore.
We'll go back next time we're in the area.
Review by nicholas Harver Morley on 18th February, 2007
Add your review Date visited: 18/02/2007
After an impromptu visit to Water Foul Sanctuary our impression could not have been more different from the above review.
Unlike many other children’s animal attractions parks this is not a commercial venture designed to take as much cash from families as possible.
Water foul sanctuary is a real sanctuary run with love and care and is a testament to Mabel's dedication - a real antidote to the over commercial attractions we all find ourselves visiting. You would have to travel a long way to find a person friendlier and more dedicated to her animals.
We loved our visit & will be back for more soon.
Review by Amarjit Dhaliwal on 15th August, 2006
Add your review Date visited: 06/08/06
We visited in the hope of finding a pleasant location for a picnic with some interest for our young children since the animals and an adventure playground were advertised.
Unfortunately, we found the place to be extremely run down and wholly unattractive for a picnic.
The animals on display seemed poorly kept. The waterfowl pond had a thick layer of algae, the emus and ostrich were housed in pens that had such long grass that it made it difficult to pick out the animals.
The adventure playground was similarly run down with very little to keep the youngsters occupied.
Overall, the visit was a quite depressing experience saved only by the fact the children were able to hold baby rabbits and gerbils - they enjoyed this immensely.
I would not recommend a visit to this attraction until it has undergone an extensive renovation.
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