To think £3.50 for a Caramel Slice is extortionate, even for Soft Play?!

[MotherofaSurvivor]

Currently at a new, rather 'trendy' children's play centre (can't really call it soft play as nothing is really that soft! All trendy wooden shelves to climb on instead of foam steps etc ).

Very odd but my little one likes it.

I'm really short on cash at mo but thought I could stretch to coming here, despite knowing it was half term. (My child isn't of school age).

Prices gone up from £4 to £6 for a 2yr old and (£5 per adult) because of Half Term........ Annoying but fair enough. They have a business to run.

Get to ordering a cuppa (can't come without getting a brew! That would be torture!!) - £3.50 Caramel Slice - £3.50..... I nearly fainted. Instead I ordered some hot Ribena @ £1.20 and a Unicorn shaped Shortbread @ £1.70 & made do. Was quite nice to be fair.

They've actually put the prices up of food & drink by at least 40% by my reckoning.

AIBU to think they're taking advantage of Mums desperate to run their kid's energy off but whom don't have the funds to pay what is probably a pittance for Boden-clad gang?

Before I get flamed, I totally get that they have overheads to pay and it's perfectly normal practise to increase the entry fee slightly during school holidays but £18 for my daughter to go down two slides, a quick go on a tethered indoor swing and....well that's it. A cuppa and a caramel slice for me (If I'd succumbed and paid the price they were asking) £18??

Wonderlime “Iceland” haha! I thought similar!!

Spudlet - yes but you wouldn’t go on your own to any of this things would you? So why do you pay to go to any of them?

I enjoy swimming even with DS, and the cinema! And I do go without him, to both. That said, I wouldn't even be opposed to paying a couple of quid to enter a soft play to cover overheads, but a fiver is far too much, for an adult who will be sitting on an uncomfortable seat watching their dc get overexcited to the point of vomiting or clambering around like an ungainly giant in Lilliput, trying to unstick their child from whatever piss-smeared hellscape they have wedged themselves into.

I should probably admit though that I really hate soft play, so may be biased...

We went to the most wonderful coffee shop in Haworth....a cafetiere of fabulous coffee for two( from a huge choice of beans) and 2 pieces of cake came to £17.
It was delicious.
I don't begrudge paying for excellent service, quality and ambience.

Just don't go there. There is a really expensive soft play near me, plus they charge for adults, plus they limit the time to 1.5 hours. I don't moan about the prices I just take my custom elsewhere. It's up to them as a business whether they want to charge a premium price and get less customers (but make more from those they do have) or charge less and have more people come. If their business model works, I can't knock them for trying it.

There’s no money in the entrance fee for soft play/play cafes. Not after the insurance and staffing in particular. Money is made on the food. It’s a case of pay it or don’t pay it. It’s really not about greed but covering overheads which can by high when children come in and break everything.

In case anyone like me was wondering if they were missing out on a new type of sweet treat, a caramel slice is a millionaire shortbread, which is indeed lush, but £3.50 is taking the p.

I have a latte and a raspberry and white chocolate muffin for £4.25 every time I go to soft play. For those saying go without, you are nowt but killjoy puritans. I need the sugar and caffeine rush to block out the noise.

What a joke. Charging adults to go to soft play,! And £3.50 for a hot drink? Never mind the caramel slice

We have an awesome soft play we make a special trip to go to. $20 for 2 dc (about £14). Adults are free. Reasonably priced cafe. 2 floors of intricate climbing, running, bouncing, sliding, ball pools, nets, ride ons and more. Basically everything a child could want. We normally go for pretty much a full day. Yours definitely sounds like a rip off to me!

£5 entry for adults? I understand a nominal fee of £1 maybe as you’re in their facilities, but a fiver!!! The cake is pricey but you don’t have to buy that, but you do have to go in!

Even our expensive local soft play just charges £2.00 peak time per adult. I think it goes down to £1.00 if you book online.
Another soft play in another town has offers of free hot drinks for adults per receipt or a jug of squash. Even then I’ve never paid more that £5 for a drink and cake. Your “soft” play sounds shit!

I’m more offended by the £3.50 cup of tea

@HRTpatch Which cafe in Haworth do you mind me asking? So I can bear it in mind whenever we next go! X

@Spudlet You have made laugh!

I wouldn't mind Soft Play so much if I had friends to meet there, like everyone else seems to. I'm always there on my own as frankly. I have no friends! (The only friend I do have likes 4 hours away!)
I'm always watching the groups of Mums chatting & laughing with a longing, jealous face like a kid that's not been invited to the party sniff sniff

*lives 4 hours away

Not sure why last post is in bold

Some of our local soft play centres charge £1per adult but are slightly cheaper per child than the others where the adult is free. Works out the same for 1 adult one child.
The only time I have payed to go in as an adult was also a wooden structure, but adults could hp on too. There were also lots of things outside for both adults and children. I think it was about £10 per adult and dd was young enough to be free. £20 for the family and we stayed all day so not too bad. Food was a bit expensive but no more than to be expected and was good quality.
No way would I pay those prices to take a little one in, and wouldn't be impressed at those prices for food.
I can't see it lasting long. Unless there is no alternative people will vote with their feet.