Wednesday, August 1, 2018

TD Tom Davies Factory Tour - Part 5

We were then led along a narrow corridor beside the elves grotto to what can only be called “the staff enrichment region” of the factory.

Through the first door we were treated to a room full of Lego. Not just bright coloured bricks, although there was a huge number of these, but multiple specialized models from airports to zoo’s. My favourite was the Millennium Falcon and Star Wars collection, which, if you follow us on Social Media will be no surprise, as that morning both Euan and I had attended a fully immersive VR Star Wars game in a nearby shopping mall. Euan had worn his Rebel Alliance Tee shirt especially. Really, he did!!!!!


The next door was the Room of Tranquillity. As we entered it was dimly lit with LED mood lighting.  There was a small atomiser emitting calming scent and towards the back a large, rather comfortable -looking, very padded chair. Tom announced his attendance into the room which brought the chair to life via a Google Alexa device. Once in the chair you can select your desired massage through voice activation. Very cool, and relaxing.

These two rooms were to both challenge and relax staff through the day to improve their creativity and mood.

As the work day was coming to a close Tom invited us to stay for a spot of dinner and a drink before returning to our hotel ready for our Independent Optometry Conference the following day. Little did we know that the tour was not yet over. We were then shown up to the roof.

The entirety of the factory roof had been turned into a roof-top patio area, fully equipped with a fully functioning bar, a BBQ that Tom’s good friend Heston Blumenthal had presented him as a gift on the opening of the factory, which was massive, a raised performance area for invited bands/musicians to play and a life-size ceramic, multicoloured Zebra. Everyone needs a multicoloured Zebra, don’t they?


Dusk had fallen but this being London, the street and building lights filled the night sky with an ambient glow that only a large conurbation can. In the distance were planes taking off and landing at Heathrow Airport but with the music playing you could easily have imagined being in a trendy Mediterranean bar, that is, if there wasn’t a frigid breeze reminding you that, “this, my friend, is London in January and don’t you forget it!”

Part 4 ... /

By Dr. John Wilson


No comments:

Post a Comment