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Hot summers and soaring bills putting soft play centres at risk

Source · BBC Business
There is a soft play centre with a yellow and green frame. Inside, there are multiple compartments including a blue ballpit, blue foam boxes to jump on and rope netting. In front of it, there is orange tables and chairs.
There is a soft play centre with a yellow and green frame. Inside, there are multiple compartments including a blue ballpit, blue foam boxes to jump on and rope netting. In front of it, there is orange tables and chairs.

Image source, Jessica HarveryImage caption, Jessica Harvey from Whitchurch said there were some days in the summer that no-one came to her centre

ByCharlie StubbsWest MidlandsPublished5 hours ago

They are the indoor centres of fun that are perfect for an energetic play date.

But the owner of one soft play business says it is in danger of closure as the hot summer has meant she struggled to get people through the doors.

Jessica Harvey has run Funzone in Whitchurch for over a year, and said as the industry is seasonal, there were occasions when she was the only one there all day.

"Over the summer, there has definitely been [times] where we probably had 10 to 15 people in all week, which just isn't sustainable," she said.

Funzone has been in operation for 17 years but was sold two years ago. The company that bought it went into liquidation so Harvey bought the firm in October 2025.

She said her first hot summer has been extremely challenging.

"It has been a bit demoralising. We have tried so hard to bring things back, and obviously when you are investing heavily, but not only just investing, a lot of our time has gone into it too.

"I'm talking getting up at six o'clock in the morning, being there for four hours before opening, and then not leaving the place until 12 at night because you're painting or building."

Image source, Jessica HarveyImage caption, Jessica Harvey took to Facebook by posting pictures of herself with signs to plead customers to come to her soft play area

Harvey added that she was able to make the money up by building a soft play trailer built for events, but said that with the weather getting colder, she would need people to start coming again.

"Eventually, if no one uses it and there was no money coming in, it's not a viable business, is it?" she said.

"So, you know, it would have to go. It [is a] kind of use it or lose it type situation."

High running costs

Connor Galbraith and his wife Nicole opened Wacky Playland in Kidderminster nearly two years ago, leaving their jobs as an IT specialist and a chemist.

The pair posted to their social media pages to share the reality of what the cost of running the centre.

"Three months of usage of electricity cost us £9,756.42; building insurance per year, is £6,410.47. That's just the building paid for the landlord's insurance, not including our public liability, [or] employee liability insurance as well," Galbraith added.

"We have a service charge as well, every three months, that is £5,837.33.

"Some customers do not realise the prices behind it, they just see it as, 'oh it's a business'."

Image source, Wacky Playland KidderminsterImage caption, Nicole Galbraith took to TikTok to talk about the realities of owning a soft play area

He added their aircon and the 5% VAT relief helped them keep their business going through the summer.

However, Galbraith said the business could still pay the bills but it was "really tight."

"If costs keep going higher and higher then it does kind of question where we can be because, I'm sure any business owner knows, that we have a lease as a 10-year lease and as goes up incrementally." Galbraith said.

"If, as years go by, our rent is going to go higher and if, in this world how it's looking things are going to get more expensive, then it kind of makes you scared."

Last month, the owners of The Kidz Barn, also in Kidderminster, announced their soft play centre would be closing its doors in January 2026, and would be put up for sale.

In a social media post, the centre said it "was not a decision that was made lightly."

"We weathered some incredibly difficult times. During COVID, there were moments when we genuinely didn't know if we would ever reopen our doors.

"Somehow, we got through those hardest months, and being able to welcome you all back was something we will never forget."

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There is a woman with brown hair, a brown shirt, a black apron and blue jeans. She is holding a piece of white paper that says 'Please?' in pink pen. She is sat down infront of two archways - one which has brick painting and fake leaves, and the other which has cupcake prints.
There is a woman with brown hair, a brown shirt, a black apron and blue jeans. She is holding a piece of white paper that says 'Please?' in pink pen. She is sat down infront of two archways - one which has brick painting and fake leaves, and the other which has cupcake prints.
There is a woman in an orange jumper, blonder hair and a baige cap. In front of her, there is big pink writing that says "5 big things we've spent money on this month (soft play owner).' Below that it says "that i wish someone warned me about before opening."
There is a woman in an orange jumper, blonder hair and a baige cap. In front of her, there is big pink writing that says "5 big things we've spent money on this month (soft play owner).' Below that it says "that i wish someone warned me about before opening."
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