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View Full Version : Market Research aimed at parents of toddlers and young kids.



Rheghead
14-Aug-10, 18:08
If an indoor multi-level, soft play area with slides, art/craft activity facility(eg face painting, collage, painting, card making etc), refreshments and seating area for parents for them to socialise without too much worry about letting the kids go mad were to open up locally, how much per hour per child would you be prepared to pay and how often would you take the kids there per month? :confused

ShelleyCowie
14-Aug-10, 18:21
If an indoor multi-level, soft play area with slides, art/craft activity facility, refreshments and seating area for parents for them to socialise without too much worry about letting the kids go mad were to open up locally, how much per hour per child would you be prepared to pay and how often would you take the kids there per month? :confused

Probably about £3 per hour would be reasonable, think if it was a session then it might bring more money. Would enjoy taking the bairn to something like that probably once a week or more. Depending on how good and how much he enjoyed it.

If only eh....:confused

emszxr
14-Aug-10, 18:26
the new one in inverness up by matalan was £9 something for my 5 and 3 year old for 2 hours. it was very busy being a saturday, but they loved it. i am not up in caithness as often these days so couldnt say how often i would use it.

onecalledk
14-Aug-10, 19:07
there is a place like this in grangemouth and its fab, have been there a few times when down visiting relatives in the area and its great. Sit with a cup of tea , sandwhich etc and the kids run themselves out of puff, cant remember how much it was but it was a really good idea. Soft play areas just dont seem to be on offer up in the highlands which is a bit of a shame ...

K

shamrock2007
14-Aug-10, 19:12
A soft play area would be fantastic. Yeah about £3 a session would be good, would prob use it once a week

KCI
14-Aug-10, 19:17
We took little KCI to the one in Inverness and he loved it!
I have always thought it would a good idea to have a soft play centre in Caithness, and I'm sure it would be used a lot.
I would certainly be happy to pay around £3 per session/hour. Depending on the cost, I would probably use it once or twice a week - I'd use it more if I was rich!
Mind you, if there was a special offer, like a week's pass or something, that would be good.

kriklah
14-Aug-10, 19:45
sounds like a good idea, i would defo take the wee fella once or twice a week. £3 an hour sounds reasonable, season tickets/membership cards would be good buys aswell.

annemarie482
14-Aug-10, 19:56
We took little KCI to the one in Inverness and he loved it!
I have always thought it would a good idea to have a soft play centre in Caithness, and I'm sure it would be used a lot.
I would certainly be happy to pay around £3 per session/hour. Depending on the cost, I would probably use it once or twice a week - I'd use it more if I was rich!
Mind you, if there was a special offer, like a week's pass or something, that would be good.

how does the inverness one work?
do you stay with them or leave them?
how old do they have to be to go?

summer
14-Aug-10, 20:01
I'd go along with my kids, I go to Monkey Madness in Clydebank when I'm down. We pretty much pile in with the kids - great fun, fairly knackers you though.

Maybe a call to clubs like treats/casper to check their hourly rate so you know much folk are currently paying.

KCI
14-Aug-10, 20:06
I can't remember how much the Inverness one cost - around £3.50 I think. You have to stay with the kids.
They have an area for older kids, and a toddler area as well. KCI was about 13/14 months old when we took him, and he loved it. Hoping to take him back soon.

carasmam
14-Aug-10, 20:37
I'd pay £3 - £4 an hour, as long as there was decent coffee at a reasonable price available too :lol: My lassie is only 3 and would be more interested in bouncy, slidey things than arts and crafts at the moment, sounds good though :D

sjr014
14-Aug-10, 22:09
Yeah i use the Inverness one when we are down and also went to the one in Gourock and Dunoon while on holidays, my little one loves it and it fairly tires them out and great when the weather isn't so good. And on a plus side if they do food its fine that you know you can sit back relax and enjoy your cuppa knowing that the little ones are entertained. I would say £3 per session as opposed to per hour?

oag
15-Aug-10, 00:19
hi would love it if it came here . We would come once or twice a month. think the card thing would be great i have two kids one 7 and the other 9 and she would love making card or crafts she gets bored with the soft play after a time .:Razz

LMS
15-Aug-10, 08:11
There would need to be decent facilities for the adults - nice seating area, good snacks, and proper tea and coffee. A pile of papers and magazines would be very handy too. The only things that bring some play areas down are the plastic chairs and machine drinks.

Great idea and long overdue.

unicorn
15-Aug-10, 10:07
I would most certainly use it with my mindees once a week, £3 an hour sounds fine. If it helps with pricing I charge £3.50 an hour for childminding, it would be fantastic to be able to add to the activities available for little ones locally.

Dadie
15-Aug-10, 10:14
We have been to two lovely softplay areas recently.
1 in Perth (it was huge)
1 near hubbys sisters near Blackpool.
Both had decent seating and plenty of highchairs.
And decent coffee and snacks.
The one near Blackpool even had the looseats with the little seat on them.
The prices varied in both depending if it was through the week/weekend, or during school time.
There were play sessions just after school for £1 up to £6 for busy weekend times and a play and eat session for £5.50 this was for 2 hour play sessions.
The one in Perth had an upstairs bit with ceramic painting (extortionate prices)
The one in Blackpool offered parties at £10 per child for 2 hours food and play, ballon and party bag....themed parties too..disco..face painting..etc

aburns2409
15-Aug-10, 10:50
3-4 per hour xx def twice a week xx fab idea xx

coastown
15-Aug-10, 12:20
there is a place like this in grangemouth and its fab, have been there a few times when down visiting relatives in the area and its great. Sit with a cup of tea , sandwhich etc and the kids run themselves out of puff, cant remember how much it was but it was a really good idea. Soft play areas just dont seem to be on offer up in the highlands which is a bit of a shame ...

K
Is that the soft play area at the sports complex in grangemouth, if i remember,rightly think it was £1 45 for an hour great place ,kids just love it

Dadie
15-Aug-10, 12:35
If you have decent food facilities 2 hrs is the way to go!
Parents will be tempted to have more than a coffee and the kids will get hungry and thirsty!
Besides 1 hour is not enough time to tire out the kids:lol:
They also sold socks whick I thought was funny until you notice how many mums wear shoes without and you need socks to go on the play equipment to catch your horrors!

kgs
16-Aug-10, 09:46
Lived in Edinburgh and there were quite a few down there. The average price was £3.50 but that was for 2 hours.
Most money was made from the cafe, they focused on healthy options for the kids (no fizzy juice or crisps, sweets etc - meant no vomitting on the equipment!!) They also did home baking fresh soup and sandwiches etc.
They catered for parties but parties were identified by the kids wearing coloured vests so it meant it was still open to the public, they had a seperate room for the party kids to eat and you could take your own party food and cake, so it was just the room you hired and the playtime you paid for.

Dadie
16-Aug-10, 10:12
I cant really say when or how long or how often I would use a softplay area as at this stage I dont know where it will be.
If its going to be in either Wick or Thurso I would use it more than if it was in the middle of the countryside!
It would definately be a treat probably once a month in the summertime and maybe more in winter when you cannot get out and about to the parks or walks with the kids.

macgee
16-Aug-10, 10:17
I haven't read all the posts on here but I think around £3 an hour is a good price thats what the playzone in Inverness charges (free for under 12 mths) I would love to see something like this up here and think it would do very well :)

kgs
16-Aug-10, 11:54
Was just chating with a friend from down south. She has just chosen a soft play centre for her toddler/playgroup to use regularly and the main reasons they chose the one they have were for thier health and safety protocols. Height and age restrictions are enforced, the insurance policy is available for parents to see and the cleanliness of the place was excellent (charts detailing the daily and weekly cleaning was on display and they even close early one day a week for a deep clean).
It would be great to have soft play up here but only if done well. We have encountered some dodgy ones whilst away on hols.

Rheghead
16-Aug-10, 14:00
Do you think the best place would be in Wick or Thurso? Please don't just say your nearest town :). What would attract parents with kids to Thurso from the east, because obviously a tie in with a trip to Tesco would bring parents to Wick, so what would be grounds to have the soft play area in Thurso?

Dadie
16-Aug-10, 14:18
I dont know.
If the Tesco at the old mart site is ever built..there will be a less of a pull for Thurso folk to go Wick.
And do parents of young kids in Wick who work at Dounreay/Vulcan use Thurso childminders or do they use Wick ones?
Which town has the best site with the best parking facilities?
And the bus links to either are just as good/bad!

kgs
16-Aug-10, 22:13
Remember parents have to stay with the kids so Tesco wouldnt really make you more likely to go in. From previous experience down south we went to where the best soft play was regardless of geography. The one we used had a reward scheme and also did special one off themed days (fancy dress or arts and crafts etc). If its the right price and offers the right facilities then people will come.

Dadie
16-Aug-10, 22:17
I was just thinking of what I do...
If the girls behave when in tescos/lidls etc... we go to the park afterwards before going home.
The parks in Watten are not great so its a treat to go to the nord or ormlie parks!

Vistravi
17-Aug-10, 10:04
I'd defintly use it once or twice a week. My lad is only 3 months old but he loves to play, kick things and look at things. He'd enjoy being in a ball pool as long as i was there with him ;)

Vistravi
17-Aug-10, 10:09
Remember parents have to stay with the kids so Tesco wouldnt really make you more likely to go in. From previous experience down south we went to where the best soft play was regardless of geography. The one we used had a reward scheme and also did special one off themed days (fancy dress or arts and crafts etc). If its the right price and offers the right facilities then people will come.

I have to agree, in tesco wouldn't be a good idea.

Vistravi
17-Aug-10, 10:11
Do you think the best place would be in Wick or Thurso? Please don't just say your nearest town :). What would attract parents with kids to Thurso from the east, because obviously a tie in with a trip to Tesco would bring parents to Wick, so what would be grounds to have the soft play area in Thurso?

I only go through to wick tesco to get nappies. Thurso tesco only do small packs of the ones i get and pampers seem to be all they sell but what is no use for my boy. So whenever i go to wick i bulk buy in nappies. If there was one in thurso i'd use it alot more. In wick i'd only use it once a month.

Alice in Blunderland
17-Aug-10, 10:45
Id go for Wick using some of the old glass factory site for indoor soft play area and using the outdoors for go karts and such like in the summer.

Also would benefit from zoning it up and developing something for older children.

The furniture shop may also like to cash in on some passing trade! :Razz

dancingtaz13
17-Aug-10, 22:50
This would be a great idea. i had a couple of tourists stop us at the boating pond in Thurso a couple of weeks ago asking what there was to do here for kids...... not alot apart from swimming & swing parks!!

Id use the facility no matter whether it was wick or Thurso and £3 is a great price. :Razz

Moonboots
18-Aug-10, 08:31
If an indoor multi-level, soft play area with slides, art/craft activity facility(eg face painting, collage, painting, card making etc), refreshments and seating area for parents for them to socialise without too much worry about letting the kids go mad were to open up locally, how much per hour per child would you be prepared to pay and how often would you take the kids there per month? :confused

Theres one currently in the process of opening in Thurso soon..

Rheghead
18-Aug-10, 20:56
Hi Moonboots. How soon and whereabouts in Thurso? My young one is waiting with little patience!! :lol:

Moonboots
18-Aug-10, 23:18
Im not sure how soon.. I know they are awaiting confirmation from the highland council for change of use to the premises but they are keeping it hush hush...lol/

Rheghead
18-Aug-10, 23:26
Thanks, I think I've just guessed where it is...

:lol:

Moonboots
18-Aug-10, 23:51
So tell us then....

Rheghead
19-Aug-10, 00:17
A request to change the purpose of a building suggests that it was a licensed premises. An ideal place for an indoor soft play area would be Liquid. That is my best guess.:lol:

k1rst1n27
19-Aug-10, 17:42
I think it's a great idea, the county is definately lacking in facilities for under 5's at the moment. I'd say £3.00 an hour is what most folk would be prepared to pay but if you offered 2 hours for say £5.00 more people would probably take the 2 hours. Due to the fine caithness summer weather we get it'd prob be a massive hit in the hols when its raining! It'd prob also be worth offering party packages.

I would maybe go once every couple of weeks - but my daughter is 5 and is now able to go to more activities so im sure people with younger kids would use it more often!

CLARABEL
19-Aug-10, 22:27
I think that would be a great idea, we definitely need more for kids up here, especially the younger ones, the parks are not enough, gets a bit boring plus the weather is not the best. Would defo take my wee guy who is two and a half to it if they put one in Wick, he would love it :)!!!!

Moonboots
20-Aug-10, 08:09
Thurso looks like its going to happen, Not sure if its Liquid though..