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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

private members' club for families

474 replies

pippiLS · 20/04/2014 11:32

So do you think £10 per week for access to a stylish child-friendly club (with tasteful soft play areas etc) is a big ask?

DH thinks it's too much and no none would pay it whereas I think £520 for annual membership of a place where people with babies/toddlers go and meet other mums/dads/nannies, have a decent coffee (maybe even a tasty, healthy lunch), relax in comfort and attend classes with their little ones is an OK price to pay.

Am I being unreasonable to be considering opening such a place as a business venture?

OP posts:
LittleBearPad · 21/04/2014 00:47

Can I repeat £2 million to open the Chiswick branch.

A bit more important than the fairly obvious fact that dads come at weekends and don't come to watch sport in the week.

theyoniwayisnorthwards · 21/04/2014 00:47

Weekend crowd is quite different actually and again, another source of income is alcohol. They sell beer and proper pizza from a wood fired pizza oven. They have resources I enjoy and don't like to buy myself but must be relatively inexpensive for them like the latest popular parenting books lying around, latest issues of magazines, at the weekends the Sunday papers. When I had a newborn I could go there and there were portable Moses baskets I could carry my sleeping baby in while my toddler played, if I forgot something there would be nappies in the bathrooms and wipes at every table, antiseptic hand cleaner and tissues at each table in the winter. Those little details make it feel worth it.

Yes I COULD do all this for myself but it was lovely not to have to.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 21/04/2014 00:48

I think you're wasting your time Little Bear

LittleBearPad · 21/04/2014 00:49

I think so. Wouldn't want a few cold hard facts to dent the vision.

theyoniwayisnorthwards · 21/04/2014 00:51

The 2 million didn't come from thin air, they ran a smaller operation for years, built a reputation and then as I say, crowd sourced most of the money. They offered investors discounted membership deals and other incentives as well as return on investment

Yoruba · 21/04/2014 00:51

I would join what yoni describes. That sounds fab :)

LittleBearPad · 21/04/2014 00:53

Yes but it's relatively easy to crowd source £2 million when your husband is best friends with Prince William...

Original poster
pippiLS · 21/04/2014 00:55

LittleBear I'm aware of the £2 million start-up cost but the size of the venture is huge compared to mine. I took off 20% as it's London and divided it by 4 to give £400 000. Where would I be able to get money like that, all ideas welcome...

OP posts:
TinklyLittleLaugh · 21/04/2014 00:55

Personally, I wouldn't be holding out for much of a return on my investment.

Never mind, I'm sure it's all perfectly lovely.

'Night all.

MrsCakesPremonition · 21/04/2014 00:57

Pop into your local high street bank in the morning and outline your idea to them. They'll pop the cash straight into your account.

theyoniwayisnorthwards · 21/04/2014 00:57

Look OP I agree that you need to start from scratch with a business plan that works and think about how to create income, but I also think that there is an untapped market for pleasant family spaces for parents who work flexibly, part time or stay at home. I think Maggie and rose does what it does well and it caters to it's market, yours will of course be different. They are also constantly adapting the model to see what works. Their USP is a gorgeous, flexible venue in a place with a lot of parents and a premium on space.

I would foresee a problem with having to frequently appeal to new clients though, when my kids are both over the age of five it won't have the same value it does now.

ravenAK · 21/04/2014 00:58

OP, your transferable skills: they honestly aren't apparent on this thread. Your 'back of fag packet' maths are full of spectacular howlers, as quite a few people have pointed out, & your idea of your target demographic is desperately fuzzy.

Just, y'know, make sure it's the bank's money you'd be ploughing into this, not money you can't afford to lose. & be prepared for an almighty mess where your credit rating once was...

Original poster
pippiLS · 21/04/2014 00:59

they, thanks for the insider info. portable moses baskets sound interesting. From one of the photos I can see loads of what look like crocs on a shelf, what's that all about?

OP posts:
theyoniwayisnorthwards · 21/04/2014 01:00

The 'rose' in maggie and rose bowed out years ago and had nothing to do with the chiswick club. Sean Bolger , he owners husband is on the ground running the place, he's very nice and normal.

Original poster
pippiLS · 21/04/2014 01:01

raven, I'm nowhere near the business plan writing stage atm, give a girl a break

OP posts:
Original poster
pippiLS · 21/04/2014 01:02

Ah, I wondered about Rose.

OP posts:
TinklyLittleLaugh · 21/04/2014 01:02

Ok, I could make some sarky comment about non portable Moses baskets, or I could go to bed now.Wink

theyoniwayisnorthwards · 21/04/2014 01:04

Tinkly yes you do sound like you could do with some sleep to be honest. Best of luck OP.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 21/04/2014 01:05

You're going to need it.

theyoniwayisnorthwards · 21/04/2014 01:07

Just to clarify the point I was making about Rose not being a partner was because that's the Prince William connection. From what I can see the family who run it are nice, down to earth normal couple. Can only speak for the Chiswick club but it's def not a jolly hockey sticks kind of place.

Unexpected · 21/04/2014 01:20

OP, what did you do pre-children? Do you have any experience in running a business, employing people, writing business plans, marketing - or indeed, anything which could be useful to this idea?

Your seemingly random idea of taking the figures for a London venture, deducting 20% and then dividing it in four is worrying to say the least. Where have you come up with these figures?

ravenAK · 21/04/2014 01:21

I hear you OP - not nice to have freezing water poured on your lovely idea.

Equally, though, I spent two years of my late 20s I won't get back watching an ill-conceived 'let's run a lovely seaside pub!' plan collapse about me.

It was an entirely horrible experience. Months upon months of putting a cheery public smile on things whilst juggling creditors, attempting to run things hand to mouth & facing out a local community who knew full well we were clinging on by our cracking fingernails...it isn't an experience I'd wish on someone else for the crime of being ambitious & a bit daffy!

& I knew what I was doing loads better than you appear to - I had extensive industry experience. Admittedly I hadn't bargained for my late first dh self-destructing rather spectacularly, & without that I might've salvaged things but honestly - I'm hearing lots of fluffy words from you. It's all sizzle & no sausage.

Original poster
pippiLS · 21/04/2014 01:22

Down to earth and normal sounds good. You don't have to be 'posh' to like nice things.

Thank you to everyone that has posted, I appreciate you taking the time to do so. Here's what I've gleaned from your contributions:

  • £10 per class is too much and 10 kids per class is about right
  • up the membership fee slightly and offer free classes
  • food should be healthy and cheaper than what's available in town
  • start small and get some hands on experience
  • check out the competition
  • identify a USP
  • do more research

Did I forget anything?

OP posts:
Original poster
pippiLS · 21/04/2014 01:24

20% = London weighting
M & R have capped their membership at 450 and I'm hoping for around 100 thus divide by 4 as I'll only need a quarter of the space.

OP posts:
LittleBearPad · 21/04/2014 01:27

I don't think anyone said the membership fee should be higher?

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