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Original poster

possible business venture

16 replies

lolalou22 · 15/05/2013 15:58

Was just wondering if you lovely lot could give some help and advice please. i am contemplating becoming self employed and opening up a creche in a shopping centre somewhere you could leave your children knowing they were in good qualified crb checked hands...whilst you'd shop, lunch etc in peace.....my question is how many of you would actually use a facility like that and does it meet your needs???? Thank you in advance

OP posts:

imabiggirlnow · 15/05/2013 16:00

I use a fantastic one in the bentalls centre in Kingston, would be a good model to go and look at if you are close enough.

Original poster

lolalou22 · 15/05/2013 16:03

No im nowhere near.....but i have you lol would you mind me picking your brains please eg how long you can leave them? I was planning max of 3 - 4 hours? What they charge what they provide? Sorry for all the question

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worldgonecrazy · 15/05/2013 16:03

I would use it, not for selfish purposes, but because DD would rather be playing with other children, instead of getting dragged around clothes shops.

lovefreelance · 15/05/2013 16:03

I would! Not that I get any time to go shopping these days...

Original poster

lolalou22 · 15/05/2013 16:13

Thanks worldgonecrazy it really is win/win the children have fun and well looked after and you get peace im excited/scared/anxious lol the unit im looking at is min of 12 mth lease but would know in that time frame im sure if it was working or not

OP posts:

imabiggirlnow · 15/05/2013 16:34

I'm not sure what the maximum time is you can leave them, they don't serve any food or snacks only water so that kind if limits how long you can leave them for. (Really good for chn with allergies though). The good thing is you don't have to book if your children are over 2 so you can just decide on a whim to go shopping. I use it because it is very very clean with lots of great toys, high adult ratio and the children always come home with lots of lovely arty things they have made (and as they are 3 and 2 must have had a fair amount of attention to make them). They charge in half hour slots, you can ring and extend at any point and it gets cheaper the longer you leave them can't remember the exact prices sorry I think for 2 hours it was about £12 for 2? Sure you could ring and find out they are very helpful.

imabiggirlnow · 15/05/2013 16:35

Ps could you ask for a break clause in the lease? I think that would be a fair request.

imabiggirlnow · 15/05/2013 16:39

Just googled it some info on netmums about times, prices etx

Original poster

lolalou22 · 15/05/2013 16:45

Wow thank you that's really good help thank you for doing that :-)

OP posts:

Original poster

lolalou22 · 15/05/2013 17:19

Hi thank you for your help before you go one last question? :-\ if im not pushing my luck regarding paper work and forms you had to fill in where there many asides from contact details what else did they want from you :-)

OP posts:

izzywotnot · 17/05/2013 18:14

I think this is a great idea - there used to be in a supermarket near me and mums (especially me) would use it not just for easy shopping but for an hour of peace while grabbing a coffee in the shop's cafe!

I'm pretty sure you don't need to be registered with Ofsted if you're only offering up to 2 hours but I'd imagine your staff would need some childcare experience/qualifications, CRB and first aid. There is a similar drop in facility opened in Clapham (South London) - their website might give you some ideas or inspiration!

www.thebabydrop.co.uk

Very best wishes and who knows, maybe you'll be the start of a nationwide group of creches!

imabiggirlnow · 17/05/2013 19:12

Just name address drs name contact details I think - they put them on an index card with a number then next time you go you hair give them your number and sign as they already have your details. They also wanted the phone number of someone who was not shopping with you as emergency contact.

They also had some quite strict late fees so I guess they must have had probs in the past...

Good luck!

Original poster

lolalou22 · 18/05/2013 19:01

Thank you, im getting mixed response to be honest to whether people would use or not but its a pretty even spilt so all i need is for my yes people to turn up and I'll be fine :-) trying not to let myself get too excited until its a reality and actually happening lol, but who knows from little acorns and all that :-) if others make it work why not me

OP posts:

AlwaysOneMissing · 19/05/2013 21:13

Tbh even though I have occasionally briefly considered using one of these, I never actually have.
I just can't bring myself to leave the DC with 'strangers'.
I would imagine that this is the main obstacle you would be up against.

Original poster

lolalou22 · 20/05/2013 09:25

AOM how olds your little one if you don't mind me asking? Think ive more market research to do yet

OP posts:

AlwaysOneMissing · 21/05/2013 21:32

Sorry lola I've only just seen this. They are 1 and 3.
I would spend a lot of time and effort considering actual permanent childcare options, so it seems almost irresponsible to me to leave DC with people I literally have never met, just so I can go shopping (although I know the two are quite different!)

I am probably in a minority though, and I don't even know how I would expect you to get round it?!

Sorry, I don't mean to sound so negative, and I think in general, a business like this would be useful to a lot of parents.

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