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Original poster

New business venture- soft play

71 replies

Jess125 · 05/04/2023 13:49

Hi all,

I think I've decided I want to quit my job and try my hand at something new. I've decided I want to open a soft play.

The property I've seen is in Halifax (west Yorkshire) it's opposite the bus station and a short walk from the town centre. It's would be great for a soft play and to host birthday parties, family parties, baby showers etc. There's just this big nagging voice in my head saying it's a bad idea.

Is this something that would work? I know there's the cost of living crisis but I'm trying to take that into account and trying to ensure that it would be affordable and have deals on food etc.

Also bonus if anyone would like to say the best and worst thing about any soft plays they've been to, so that I could try to work that into my plans!

Thanks :)

OP posts:
MirenaMisery · 05/04/2023 17:00

Also if it's a smaller scale - bambini's has good reviews but I'm not so keen.

GoatyMcGoatface · 05/04/2023 17:02

There doesn't seem to be another soft play in the vicinity of the town centre, which is good news for you.

BernadetteIsMySister · 05/04/2023 17:07

Parking parking parking.

whosaidtha · 05/04/2023 17:17

I managed one. Massive losses in the summer. Also losses in the week term time. Almost all the money was made on parties so you need a space that allows 2-3parties at a time (we staggered them by half an hour so groups could eat in the party area) and have lots of party types to make money. Baby classes also made a decent amount but need a reliable member of staff to deliver them to a high standard.
You need to offer food so make sure you know how to run and manage a kitchen.
Its not something I would venture into.

thaisweetchill · 05/04/2023 17:19

Best soft plays:

  • no set sessions so you can come and go as you please
  • ball pit
  • Open slides (not tunnel slides)
  • under 4s section with things to do not just a few rocking inflatable things
  • good cake selection (brownies/tray bakes) not bought in rubbish
  • soft play but that tall so you can see your child from anywhere seated. I hate those soft plays that are so tall and condensed so you have no idea where your children are
thaisweetchill · 05/04/2023 17:23

WestminsterAbbey · 05/04/2023 15:25

Lovely things people are saying

in reality alcohol licence and outdoor boozing space ?

I only know of one that has an alcohol licence and it was just chaotic and attracted the wrong crowds, parents didn't watch their children very well. I guess it would be good for business but not really the place to be doing it.

Viviennemary · 05/04/2023 17:24

It is a very risky venture I eould say.

WhatsitWiggle · 05/04/2023 17:31

A new one opened near-ish to me about 14 years ago just as my daughter was at the age to enjoy them. Quickly became the go-to place. It was slightly more expensive than others but really well thought out. I interviewed the owner for a magazine and it was interesting her thoughts behind it.

She basically said kids will play anywhere but it's the parents that make the decision where to go, so she focused on the adult needs first. All play frame was on one side of the warehouse so parents could sit at a table and be able to see their child, not have to be walking round trying to locate them. Comfy chairs, good coffee, hot and cold food. Clean toilets, all the cubicles had those child/adult magnetic seats. Double gate system for entry/exit so no kid could escape.

Ghostofthepast · 05/04/2023 17:38

Look at Bertie and boo in Balham (bar / soft play), let’s pretend play cafe in Redhill (amazing coffee and cake first), and picnic in Kingston

Bawdrip · 05/04/2023 17:46

Fuel bills are astronomical right now, with no limit for businesses. Ours has gone up x 4.5 this month. Food costs have also increased massively. Totally wrong time for this type of venture

modgepodge · 05/04/2023 17:53

Good:
clean, free parking and lots of it, decent food and coffee, role play area included, decent toddler area ideally with an adult kicking older kids out of it!. My daughter is 4 and I prefer the smaller ones targeting under 5s or under 8s, though millets farm mentioned above is an exception to this. Don’t mind booking online if it means numbers are kept manageable so not too chaotic.

Bad: dirty, mad busy especially with older kids, crap food and coffee, paying for adults to get in (my particular bugbear, unless I can leave my kid there then at least one adult should be included!!) Very limited opening times/sessions. There’s one near me which I love but it really seems they don’t want to make money - for example they’ve closed today until Tuesday, ie half the Easter holidays!! They are aimed at preschoolers but I’m a teacher so can only take my preschooler in the holidays, and half of these they seem to be closed or limited to under 2s in the sessions which work for me.

FlounderingFruitcake · 05/04/2023 18:05

Ghostofthepast · 05/04/2023 17:38

Look at Bertie and boo in Balham (bar / soft play), let’s pretend play cafe in Redhill (amazing coffee and cake first), and picnic in Kingston

Bertie and Boo is awful unless you’re there
for an exclusive use party. You can’t see any of the play space from where the café tables are, which would be fine for older kids, expect the equipment is very much geared towards younger ones. The parties cost an absolute fortune and they sell parents pricy prosecco packages, so you’d think they were making money but they used to have a second location on Northcote Rd and closed it down so who knows.

Gambados is definitely where it’s at for SW London soft play if you can get over the prices - £32 it is now for an adult, child and toddler!

Ghostofthepast · 05/04/2023 18:14

FlounderingFruitcake · 05/04/2023 18:05

Bertie and Boo is awful unless you’re there
for an exclusive use party. You can’t see any of the play space from where the café tables are, which would be fine for older kids, expect the equipment is very much geared towards younger ones. The parties cost an absolute fortune and they sell parents pricy prosecco packages, so you’d think they were making money but they used to have a second location on Northcote Rd and closed it down so who knows.

Gambados is definitely where it’s at for SW London soft play if you can get over the prices - £32 it is now for an adult, child and toddler!

Show quote history

I’ve only been there for private parties but yes it’s expensive, I think sole use is about £500

The thing is that people are willing to spend that or at least my lot are. Yes I missed gambados, it’s great there

Blossomandbee · 05/04/2023 18:22

I would look into costs and competition carefully. Quite a few near me have closed over recent years especially since covid, even the previously busy ones.
The main things I would say for running them would be not to overcharge, don't charge for adults, keep the play equipment and toilets clean and well maintained, offer decent food, and have it well staffed and supervised.

WestminsterAbbey · 05/04/2023 18:25

Have you costed the kit out?
It was £60k about 20 years ago for the frames/soft play etc

Caspianberg · 05/04/2023 18:59

I would prefer more of a role play type place, rather than those massive climbing frames.

Area with make believe shops, vets, bakery, school.
A track on the floor with traffic lights, zebra crossings, where children can ride scooters and ride on cars. ( they do outdoor versions of this a lot in Netherlands)
A more natural indoor playground with tunnels, fake grass, indoors sandpit, slides. Water play ( like in the London science museum basement)
Baby soft play area, with Montessori wall type activities

You could add story times and music for babies/ toddlers a couple of mornings a week during term time
Age 0-8

I wouldn’t want to pay separate for adults, but would be happy paying £10-15 for a child

OriginalUsername2 · 05/04/2023 19:06

I’ve thought about this before. My version would have comfortable chairs, a brilliant, affordable canteen and I would employ capable adults with customer service training to run it, not teenagers. There would be a SEN dedicated session weekly.

I think about this as a sort of gift to the town if I won the lottery though, not a money making venture, so my ideas aren’t smart.

OriginalUsername2 · 05/04/2023 19:07

Caspianberg · 05/04/2023 18:59

I would prefer more of a role play type place, rather than those massive climbing frames.

Area with make believe shops, vets, bakery, school.
A track on the floor with traffic lights, zebra crossings, where children can ride scooters and ride on cars. ( they do outdoor versions of this a lot in Netherlands)
A more natural indoor playground with tunnels, fake grass, indoors sandpit, slides. Water play ( like in the London science museum basement)
Baby soft play area, with Montessori wall type activities

You could add story times and music for babies/ toddlers a couple of mornings a week during term time
Age 0-8

I wouldn’t want to pay separate for adults, but would be happy paying £10-15 for a child

This sounds lovely!!

yogaretreat · 05/04/2023 19:11

I think this would cost thousands and thousands to set up. Even small soft play equipment is hundreds.

And that's before insurance, heating, website, promotion etc.

It would be a huge risk unless you're really cash rich and can afford if it tanks

LivingDeadGirlUK · 05/04/2023 19:17

Look into how much its going to cost to heat the space, the warehouse places are badly insulated so heating will cost a fortune. Does the premises have an EPC rating of C or above.

Toasty280 · 05/04/2023 19:20

If you want an idea of costs, the clip n climb franchise website have a brochure you can download with set up costs for a clip n climb. Soft play setups have very similar costing (insurance is slightly cheaper for soft play than for climbing or trampolining). I did a lot of research on the three before covid and was in the process of finalising finance, when lock down happened (if it happened few months later I would have lost thousands as the leases with would have been signed)

Kentlassie · 05/04/2023 19:24

Best ones:

  • parking
  • clean
  • decent cafe with reasonably priced kids’ food
  • good under 5s section, and sessions just for under 5s
  • not too big (ie I can sit in the cafe and see DC)
  • not too many people there (limit on number of tickets sold for each session)

I love the Riverside hub mentioned above but it is HUGE and priced accordingly, so we can only go as a treat. It has a huge soft play, merry go round, sensory stuff, little village area. Almost too much.

I also love this one, which is much smaller and cheaper. https://www.flittons.com/bounceatthebarn

Bounce at the Barn | Flittons Nursery

Bounce at the barn. Inflatable Soft play, Bouncy Castles, Childrens Activities, Character Meets, Birthday Parties, SEN sessions

https://www.flittons.com/bounceatthebarn

Newuser82 · 05/04/2023 19:34

SchoolTripDrama · 05/04/2023 16:11

No charge for adults!!!!!! I'm sick of paying to essentially sit in a cafè whilst I then buy drinks & food.

Oh yes! Totally! I mean what kind of adult would choose to go to soft play if they didn't have kids!

Newuser82 · 05/04/2023 19:37

Caspianberg · 05/04/2023 18:59

I would prefer more of a role play type place, rather than those massive climbing frames.

Area with make believe shops, vets, bakery, school.
A track on the floor with traffic lights, zebra crossings, where children can ride scooters and ride on cars. ( they do outdoor versions of this a lot in Netherlands)
A more natural indoor playground with tunnels, fake grass, indoors sandpit, slides. Water play ( like in the London science museum basement)
Baby soft play area, with Montessori wall type activities

You could add story times and music for babies/ toddlers a couple of mornings a week during term time
Age 0-8

I wouldn’t want to pay separate for adults, but would be happy paying £10-15 for a child

Can I just ask why only up to age 8? My 10 year old still loves soft play? Is it due to the risk of the little ones? He has a younger brother and is very careful with younger ones but I can guess some can be a bit rowdy? Maybe a separate area for the slightly older ones?

glasshole · 05/04/2023 19:46

I would suggest you would be better spending money on opening a craft cafe and offering Pottery painting parties ( you can do starter courses with Loads of ceramics suppliers) crochet and knit /natter , evening sessions where you drink wine and paint a nude model etc. Do a cocktails and Cupcakes night where you run a cocktail class and decorate 4 cup cakes to take home. Run messy play sessions 9-11 for toddlers. You would make money on kids birthdays parties, local crafters, baby showers, hen /stag parties etc and still can offer food to passing trade. Much smaller business premises needed and you could accommodate lots of different demographics at different parts of the day/week/month. Would cost you less for furniture as it's an arts themed place so kind of demands a boho vibe with miss matched furniture from eBay and lots of random quirky bits to bring it together.

This is what I want to do one day but I'm piss poor broke 🤷🏼‍♀️