As a mum, I am always interested when I hear about new facilities for children opening up in the area. Jack is a lively lad, so it takes a lot to keep him occupied and happy.
The other day it came to me that in my area there is probably enough demand for another indoor play centre. There are loads of kids around here and whenever we go to our local play warehouses or barns, they are packed, especially on wet or cold days.
It got me curious and I thought I would explore the idea of setting up a business like this, so started to work out what type of premises I would need. The chances are I won’t be doing it, but I know that quite a few of you would like to set up a child friendly business. So, rather than let this research go to waste I have put it together in the post below.
Easy to get to
Any play centre needs to be easy to get to. If possible, locate yourself on a public transport route. Doing so will make sure that your centre is accessible for as many people as possible.
Try to avoid areas where congestion is an issue. Parents would rather wrap the kids up warmly and take them to the local park than sit in traffic with them for 20 minutes trying to get to your play barn.
Plenty of parking
If you think that most of your clients are going to use their cars to get to you make sure that there is plenty of parking. Remember to factor in the fact that a fair number of the spaces will need to be parent and toddler friendly when working out how many cars you can fit in.
Think about your neighbours
Kids are noisy at the best of times. But, when you get hundreds of them together, under one roof, the noise is deafening.
Therefore, it makes sense to set your play centre up somewhere away from other people. The last thing you need is complaints from the neighbours or having to go to the expense of installing noise insulation.
Plenty of space
You need a fair amount of space to make a success of this type of business. The more there is for the kids to do the more likely it is that people will come.
Parents are not going to traipse across town with two toddlers and a baby for a ball pit and a couple of climbing nets. Offer them a huge play area, somewhere to have a coffee and free Wi-Fi and you have them hooked.
Most industrial units are ideal. They are usually well-connected transport wise. There is normally parking and certainly lots of space to expand once your business takes off.
So, next time you see an industrial warehouse to let in London, or another part of the UK it might be worth your while finding out a bit more about the cost of the lease. There is huge demand for play centres pretty much wherever you live, so it could be a great way for you to get your own business up and running.
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