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!

@Newdaynewname1

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!

Good god are you serious?!?! I live in a very affluent town and it's £3.30 for kids and free for adults here. Siblings £1 extra.

Wow

Double checked: i was slightly wrong. £10.50 per adult, and £8 per child. Toddles (under 3) £6, under 6 months free.

To clarify (though I do think it beggars belief I have to point this out, the OP was pretty clear) I'm not saying I HAVE to go, no one has forced me, I've actively chosen not to due to the price. I'm asking if the price is taking the piss or not.

Didn’t need clarification
But o do think you’ve embellished

40 min max at a soft play
And only can stand and stare at horses

For that price. It just doesn’t ring true. I’ve done loads of research recently for holiday activities in three different areas - and nothing like that.

So what's happened to all the other animals if you can only look at the horses? Were they eaten during lockdown?

Seems extortionate to me. Maybe the owner is a relative of Michael O'Leary.

@Waytoomuch82

Didn’t need clarification But o do think you’ve embellished

40 min max at a soft play
And only can stand and stare at horses

For that price. It just doesn’t ring true. I’ve done loads of research recently for holiday activities in three different areas - and nothing like that.

Ah you got me I'm lying, clearly there are only three areas in the whole of the U.K.

@Porcupineinwaiting

So what's happened to all the other animals if you can only look at the horses? Were they eaten during lockdown?

It's a working farm so I imagine they're jut someone else being looked after on the farm and not in the visitors barn

Your thread title is misleading. Some people would call it lying, some call it over exaggerating. It's not true.

@WaltzfortheMars

Your thread title is misleading. Some people would call it lying, some call it over exaggerating. It's not true.

Agreed Hence me thinking the OP not averse to a little bit of embellishment

@emmathedilemma

Aside from the price why is outdoor crazy golf not open but indoor soft play is?!?

They are round me, Ive been twice since the beginning of July.

I don't think it's misleading, I'm not the one playing in the soft play am I. That's the service you get in return for £35 - 2 kids playing in the soft play area for 40 minutes

Hence me thinking the OP not averse to a little bit of embellishment

Oh no whatever will I do when a hair splitting randomer on the Internet doesn't agree with me

Is it Walby Farm Park by Carlisle because they have the same system and the price is about the same.

If so YANBU. That place has always been extortionate seeing as they charge for adults and it's essentially a giant indoor and outdoor play area with a few animals.

However, a couple of years back a friend of mine worked out that if you can get 10 kids you can book a birthday party and it's a lot cheaper as each child can bring an adult for free

@GlummyMcGlummerson

To clarify (though I do think it beggars belief I have to point this out, the OP was pretty clear) I'm not saying I HAVE to go, no one has forced me, I've actively chosen not to due to the price. I'm asking if the price is taking the piss or not.

It's hard to say without knowing what they need to charge in order to keep the place going, given the pandemic.

It does seem a lot though, more than I would be willing to pay. I've tried to get out to places where I've felt safe and spend money since lockdown loosened, support places I want to stay open etc, but it would be really hard to justify that for a time limited soft play and some horses.

@GlummyMcGlummerson

Hence me thinking the OP not averse to a little bit of embellishment

Oh no whatever will I do when a hair splitting randomer on the Internet doesn't agree with me

Bit ott denial of exaggerating! Just confirms really

For me, a soft play with far fewer children in it than pre Covid is worth paying quite a bit more for.

Pre Covid my 3 year old would always struggling with the volume of bolshy kids barging past to climb up for slides etc. Trust me OP there are enough people out there who:

1. were not financially impacted by Covid,or actually saved on no commute costs or no nursery fees
2. have been desperate all summer for things to reopen
3. are thus more than happy to spend to keep these businesses alive

Madness. If you’re in the north lightwatervalley has tickets for 14£ pp, which would amount to similar

It is daylight robbery - watch for the day they have to close because nobody comes

YABU - do you realise the cost of feeding these animals? They have been closed for months probably running up huge debt to keep their animals alive. £35 is reasonable. It's cheaper than many places around me for just getting a hair cut. But if you think it's too much then you simply don't go. These kinds of places need our support to stay open.

It's taking the piss really.

Recently went to a trampolining park. £4 more expensive than normal, 15 mins shorter and half of it closed. (Which was not advertised)

I know companies are stuggling. But this will just put people of returning

I agree that it's a lot but you don't have to go.

As others have said: it's voluntary and they have increased costs and a loss of profit.

Hopefully it will be better post Covid if they are still operating.

Some people wouldn’t mind paying that to have some time out, and the children to have fun. If you are not happy to pay that don’t.

I read that to mean you were paid £35 to endure 40mins in the soft play with two kids... which sounded about right. It’s what I would need to be paid to darken the door of bouncy plastic hell.

But yes, having to pay that to get in is robbery with violence. I guess they are driven by supply and demand, and also need to cover their cleaning costs, but it does seem very cheeky.

Very expensive.