Didn’t We Have A Lovley Time The Day We Went To Brooklands

In your quest to find the ‘perfect’ family day out, forget your theme parks, indoor play areas, traipsing around historic castles listening to the children morning, ‘I want an ice cream’. For I have discovered Surrey’s best kept secret.

‘Where? Where’? I hear you cry excitedly.
‘Mercedes -Benz World at Brooklands just of the M25 junction 10’.

‘What! Why on earth would I subject the children to a boring old day in what is effectively a car showroom’? I hear you ask disparingly.

Well, it’s rather like a typical Mercedes car; MB World is packed with lots of little extras not necessarily apparent to the naked eye.

OK, ultimately MB World is a giant showroom, which has every available Mercedes car gloriously displayed on three levels in a stunning glass building. But unlike normal showroom’s, the children and parents are actively encouraged to get in and out of the cars, ask as many questions to the wonderful helpful, always smiling staff and genuinely made to feel very welcome. The best news is that the ‘real salesmen’ are locked away in their offices and only come out upon request!

But it gets better, for serious parents looking for a Mercedes- Benz, there is a lovely crèche on the top floor, with obviously a driving theme to it and manned by qualified staff that will keep your youngsters occupied while you go and the enjoy the attractions MB World has to offer.

For slightly older children, they can follow the ‘4 wheeled fun for kids’ trail in which they are given a little booklet and pencil and have questions to answer from the Discovery area, which shows the history of Brooklands since1907 and is very interesting. They move on to the Watch Area, which is like a little cinema where they will see some of the worlds first ever cars made. They follow their trail into Build that is an amazing 3D simulator ride showing what its like being a car in the Mercedes factory. In Solve they can have go at vehicle designing and testing their responses, and finally the Brooklands museum to see the finest collection of historic cars – oh and Concorde.

But this is only the beginning as if your child is 1.5 metres tall he/she can have the ultimate experience. For MB World have officially launched their Junior Driving School Programme whereby the children are given their first ever-driving lesson in a Mercedes A-Class with the added wow factor of it being on the only original part of the Brooklands racing track left. Can you imagine the look on their classroom mates faces when their relay this story. Take it from me, this is a real coo factor for them and their street cred hits new levels.

They join the Stars Driving Club, are given a log book which records not just what their did on their first lesson, but if they choose to come back for more, it is all recorded in their silver book and is a true keepsake for them. As a driving instructor, I can also say they do a lot in the first lesson from stopping and starting, turning left and right, reversing, and even reverse parking! At this rate, us instructors will be out of a job!

The idea, which I totally agree with, is that when they come to 17 and are legally allowed to drive, not only do they have the skills of controlling the car which will cut out the first three lessons fumbling around trying to fathom what does what, they also have the physiology that surrounds driving in terms of attitude. For they are subtly being taught the true dangers of speeding, being egged on by so-called mates, and to respect other road users.

So ultimately, we are looking at a new generation of drivers with a sensible approach to the road that long term, will hopefully mean we, as parents, do not have to listen to another story of an innocent person being killed by a reckless young novice driver.

But it does not stop there. Other attractions at MB World include a fantastic off road course, just make sure you have not eaten before hand in either of the two rather nice restaurants albeit a tad pricey, a 30 minute trill ride in the car of your choice, a half days handling skills or dream of any budding Jenson Button - Children’s Birthday Parties!!!!!!!!

These activities need to be booked in advance so visit MB World and have a truly fantastic original day out Jackie Violet

FemaleFirst Motoring Journalist