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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Soft play costs and charging adults

113 replies

Rupiduti · 09/02/2023 20:26

A fairly local garden centre to me have recently installed a soft play, they previously had one pre covid and as far as I'm aware, it was a cheap and cheerful couple of pounds entry which was a nice added bonus to the garden centre. It's a nice garden centre and I'll often pop along at Christmas time to see their displays, look at the pet store there, purchase some Christmas presents and buy some lunch. Spending plenty of money in store. As do many people.
Their new soft play charges are extortionate at £8.50 1- 4 , £9.50 for 5+ and a charge for under ones. Plus £2 per adult (plus it's more during weekends and school holidays). This caused a huge backlash on their fb page and people are saying it's unaffordable etc...
Anyway, the main point of my post. Do you think it's reasonable for soft plays to charge for adults, especially given most will purchase a drink or cake or something ! I guess my thinking is, a 3 year old can't go alone! This isnt specifically regarding this soft play btw, im noticing it happening in others too.

YABU - it's fine for them to charge for adults

YANBU - they shouldn't charge for adults.

Also interested to hear people's views on what soft plays should cost!

OP posts:
SchoolTripDrama · 10/02/2023 14:18

justgettingthroughtheday · 10/02/2023 01:20

Local one to my friend tried to charge the parents £5 per adult to enter the soft play to pick their kids up from a party a few weeks ago!

Utter madness! They relented in the end when all the parents refused and the party child's parents started walking them out!

WHATTTTTT????? So if you're broke or didn't bring your purse then they hold your child hostage!?

ChilliBandit · 10/02/2023 14:24

SchoolTripDrama · 10/02/2023 14:18

WHATTTTTT????? So if you're broke or didn't bring your purse then they hold your child hostage!?

Show quote history

Bet none of those parents will be booking a party there in the future either. Short sighted of the soft play.

ASimpleLampoon · 10/02/2023 14:25

It's ridiculous where I am. I'd only bother with the after school meal deal and only 1 - 2 times a year where as I used to go regularly.

Soft play costs and charging adults
SleepyRich · 10/02/2023 15:00

We've pretty much stopped using them now due to the cost, it's just too high. Initially when they started creeping up we subsidised it by bringing our own drinks and food and just sitting well away from where we'd easily be seen by staff but with three children even with not buying any food or drink it's still way too much for an afternoons visit.

Bog · 10/02/2023 16:31

Took son there this afternoon. £5.20 for him and £2 for me for an hour. Only had half an hour as some women had older kids who kept coming into the toddler area. In the end I had to try and get him to play in the older kids bit....which was limited. Got fed up and left. The cafe area is always closed too.

BelleMarionette · 10/02/2023 16:34

It should be one adult free per child at least. If they are charging adults, then they should at least provide something, eg tea/coffee

EmmaDilemma5 · 10/02/2023 16:34

They can charge what they like as far as I'm concerned. They'll soon find out it was a big mistake to overcharge.

But we no longer attend those that charge for adults/charge a lot per child. Once you consider food, with 3 kids we easily spend £30-£40 for a few hours.

We go to a local cheap one now, which they like just as much and the parking is better!

SheilaFentiman · 10/02/2023 16:41

"For adults that is essentially what it is - just a cafè charging entry!"

No, because it isn't a cafe. Business model is entirely different.

"I would probably spend a good £10 or more on drinks and cake/sandwiches from one with a nicer cafe."

Well, OK. But charging for an adult is high profit margin, without food hygeine certificates, paying wait staff, managing food waste, cost of sandwiches to buy in electricity for fridges etc etc.

Pizza Express has a net margin of about 7%. I have to sell a heck of a lot of cake to make as good a profit per adult as charging them entry.

ChilliBandit · 10/02/2023 16:49

@SheilaFentiman - Every one of these places I have been to do food anyway so have all of the necessary certificates etc. I am just less likely to buy the food if I’m pissed off about having to pay to sit in a chair was my point.

SheilaFentiman · 10/02/2023 16:54

ChilliBandit · 10/02/2023 16:49

@SheilaFentiman - Every one of these places I have been to do food anyway so have all of the necessary certificates etc. I am just less likely to buy the food if I’m pissed off about having to pay to sit in a chair was my point.

Fair enough. And someone has probably done that calculation, and considered if they need fewer wait staff, less perishable food and less cleaning, vs the nearly pure profit on an entrance fee, it's worth it.

Actionstations · 13/02/2023 14:14

But it is not worth it. If I'm sitting eating cake and drinking a nice coffee I'm enjoying myself. If I'm just sitting there doing nothing I'm bored. So next time I've got a morning with nothing to do I'm far less likely to go to the soft play. Whereas when it used to be coffee and cake in peace I'd happily regularly take the kids. By putting the entry prices up to what entry fees plus coffee and cake used to cost they may have upped their profile margin but they've also lost a lot of custom by downgrading the customer's experience.

SheilaFentiman · 13/02/2023 14:17

Actionstations · 13/02/2023 14:14

But it is not worth it. If I'm sitting eating cake and drinking a nice coffee I'm enjoying myself. If I'm just sitting there doing nothing I'm bored. So next time I've got a morning with nothing to do I'm far less likely to go to the soft play. Whereas when it used to be coffee and cake in peace I'd happily regularly take the kids. By putting the entry prices up to what entry fees plus coffee and cake used to cost they may have upped their profile margin but they've also lost a lot of custom by downgrading the customer's experience.

Sure. And as with all business model changes, it may pay off and it may not.

Toddlerteaplease · 13/02/2023 14:21

I go to one in a pub, with my friend and her daughter. They don't charge the adults. But we usually have coffee and food.

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