Soft play £35 for 40 minutes for 2 kids

[GlummyMcGlummerson]

Most of the local soft plays are still closed, preparing to reopen shortly, and the only one open is part of a farm park. There's a soft play inside and outside you can feed and stroke animals and usually do things like crazy golf, quad bikes, tractor rides, zip wire etc. Right now due to COVID the outdoor activities are off, and the only animals you can see now are the horses but not to touch or feed. The soft play is limited to 40 minutes per family.

They've actually raised admission prices (which were extortionate anyway BUT on a normal day you can stay 10am-5pm and get your money's worth). They charge for adults too, so for the 2 kids to play in soft play and then for us to go and stare at horses will be £35. Then you have to take into account drinks, money for the little arcade cars (the kind you get in supermarkets) etc.

AIBU to think this is daylight robbery? I know they will have taken a hit due to COVID but I think this is actually taking the loss. Almost £1 a minute to enjoy the soft play!

*taking the piss

Completely agree with you!!

Vote with your feet! I wouldn’t go.

Our farm park is open, no price increase. It has a one way system and a few things are limited for Covid and it’s all outside (barns are closed) but can still feed the animals. It’s also only £6 for adults and £3 for kids (free under 3).

I wouldn’t pay to stare at horses, got my own to look at

We are gonna go to a trampoline park instead, which is fine except instead of sitting and benevolently gazing at my children going on MN whilst I sip a cappuccino, I've got to leap about with them whilst simultaneously trying not to piss myself. But it's only a tenner for us all for 2 hours jumping so can't complain!

Absolute robbery!

YANBU - I appreciate they want to keep visitor numbers manageable, allow for increased costs and will probably also have lost out massively financially during the closures. But those sort of prices aren't going to entice people back or help the business to get back on it's feet.

I've noticed similar in other places, I was hoping to start going swimming but the prices are 3-4x higher than what they were pre Covid. I feel for all the businesses that are obviously struggling, they're stuck between a rock and a hard place at the moment.

YABU. It's not daylight robbery - no-one is forcing you to go

They will need to limit numbers but at the same time their costs will have increased due to the cleaning needed between sessions. They can't pay their staff less or get cleaning equipment for free.

If people want these places to remain open then they'll need to accept they're going to be more expensive.

@AfterSchoolWorry

Absolute robbery!

How is it robbery if its entirely voluntary?

That’s very steep. Is it anything to do with the new rules that state they now have to allow an inordinate amount of space per person, so have to limit numbers? If those rules ever came in - I lose track with all the chopping and changing and sounding out the public with leaked policies that then don’t get enacted...,,,

Unfortunately they can do what they like. It depends on the area too . If it's London I don't think it's that expensive given they will have to limit the number of entrants . Shameless and short sighted on their behalf in my opinion

Yeah, it’s totally daylight robbery.

Have fun at trampolining. Remember your Tena Lady 😂

@mrsrat

Unfortunately they can do what they like. It depends on the area too . If it's London I don't think it's that expensive given they will have to limit the number of entrants . Shameless and short sighted on their behalf in my opinion

What's shortsighted is people not realising that businesses have reduced income but increased costs, and that they need to recoup that somehow or else they'll go bust.

If the businesses were truly being shortsighted then they wouldn't change their prices and in a couple of months they will no longer be in existence.

YABU
It’s not £35 for 40 mins of soft play. It’s £35 for entry to the park, and they’ve had to put time restrictions on the soft play for covid restrictions I imagine, limiting the amount of kids in close proximity at any given time and one for cleaning.
I Just wouldn’t go.

That is far too much, I just wouldn't go but then I ignore anything expensive like that, we go to a lot of parks instead. Our local science activity type place that also has a huge playground and water play area has just re-opened and is charging the same which is about £40 for a family annual pass (same for a day but is free to fill in a form and make it a year). If some places can do it I don't see why others have to charge a fortune. We've already been about 5 times since it re-opened and always use the cafe so they still get money that way.

But it’s not £35 for soft play. It’s for entry to a farm which also has a soft play on site.

Don’t go if your not happy to pay but they are charging for more than just the soft play part

They probably figured there is a correlation between parents happy to take children to the germ pit that is soft play, and those with more money than sense.

Most places are like this now, swimming centree £100+ with limit to 3 hours from when you enter the changing rooms. Who's going to do that? I get they have to limit people in but if your time is limited it shouldn't be the same price.

Depends where you are, but around here (southeast) that’s a pretty normal price. Around £12 per child, and £8 per adult. I’m always astonished that people on mumsnet go so often, its very much a rare occasion here!

I’m impressed at the cost of the trampoline park? I’ve just paid £14 for my 9 year old to go for 90 mins.

That's a shocking price, and there's no defense for it.

I've always found a lot of activities to be over priced in much of the country anyway, but that really is taking the piss.

How is it robbery if its entirely voluntary?

Turn of phrase. Don't be obtuse.

@Lockheart

YABU. It's not daylight robbery - no-one is forcing you to go

They will need to limit numbers but at the same time their costs will have increased due to the cleaning needed between sessions. They can't pay their staff less or get cleaning equipment for free.

If people want these places to remain open then they'll need to accept they're going to be more expensive.

The thing is, I do want them to stay open, for my sake and theirs. But I (and most people I know) can’t justify paying £35 for 40 mins soft play. So the result is that these places won’t stay open, because people can’t or won’t pay it. It has to be sensible and proportionate.

We seem to be very lucky in the South West, most places charging the same as before, leisure centre open with lots of interesting safe things for children to do. Even my hairdresser as not upped her prices.
The only rip off seem to be in holiday accommodation. I was thinking of a cottage break next year but the prices that are being asked are utterly ridiculous and even taking into account the weeks missed this year amount to profiteering.

@Sirzy

But it’s not £35 for soft play. It’s for entry to a farm which also has a soft play on site.

Don’t go if your not happy to pay but they are charging for more than just the soft play part

This. Also, are you counting entry for two adults in your £35? Because if so that's not really the price they're charging 'for soft play'.

What's shortsighted is people not realising that businesses have reduced income but increased costs, and that they need to recoup that somehow or else they'll go bust
If the businesses were truly being shortsighted then they wouldn't change their prices and in a couple of months they will no longer be in existence

But it is shortsighted if it means that the prices are too high for people to actually pay them. The end result is the same... they will have to close.