Soft play area for kids

[allgood]

Hi just wondering if anyone else thinks Thurso could use one off these soft play places for kids . I know that anywhere else that has one always seem to be busy and the kids love them.

[janeyj]

Hi just wondering if anyone else thinks Thurso could use one off these soft play places for kids . I know that anywhere else that has one always seem to be busy and the kids love them.

Totally agree. My girls love these places. They are great for mums too as we get a chance to meet new people.

[davth]

We have one, it's called the beach

[allgood]

Yes there is the beach but it's not always nice enough to go there. I think it would be a good thing to be put at this retail place that they talking about at the mart site in Thurso .

[janeyj]

I agree with allgood that the problem with the beach is you can only use it when the 'weather gods' are with us plus the tide needs to be out. Another issue is all the mess created. I'm afraid it's impossible to keep primary age children clean on a beach and if you have to drive to get there the mess transfers into the car afterwards.......and before someone tells me there's something called a washing machine I could use let me tell you I already have enough washing to deal with LOL! Then there are toileting issues.........and dogs out of control scaring the little ones........Oh dear I must be sounding like a right old grump HaHa! No lets have a nice clean and safe ball park, with café, somewhere for children AND their mums to meet up. C'mon all you Caithness entrepreneurs out there lets see what you can come up with.

[davth]

I know of at least two folk that have looked into it and the numbers did not work favourably.
There are not enough folk in Thurso to make it pay.
There is a non profit one in wick I think

[allgood]

I'm shur if the people from out with Thurso were to be taken into account the numbers would look alot better.

[davth]

Weekers wouldn't come through to it when they have their own version
Watten may go either way

How much would you pay for a 1hr session and how often would you go?

I'm my experience with these places, it's where many parents go and let their kids run riot without even a cursory glance of supervision. Then there is the little angels that urinate on the equipment and I am certain it is not deep cleaned afterwards.
For the above reasons they are places I rather avoid.
If the weather is rubbish then it's a great time to buckle up and appreciate the great outdoors that we have been blessed with up here far away from the concrete jungle.
A little wind and rain won't kill them, it will build character for them.

[allgood]

You also have the kids West off Thurso. 3.50 to 5 pound wouldn't be ott I personally would go every weekend or when not at work. True you could be out and about but in hear your kids can have a little more fun climbing. Over things up things and sliding down things were they are safer.

[allgood]

You also have a fair few kids West off Thurso that I'm shur would make use off it. I personally would take my kids there most if not every weekend as for price 3.50to5 pound wouldn't be ott for a session.

[davth]

You would need literally hundreds per day to make a commercial enterprise fly.
Do the sums, it doesn't work

or if you are so sure it's a winner, build one and make yourself an empire!!

[janeyj]

Bless you davth.

[allgood]

Yes hundreds for a massive place but a smaller scale place wouldn't need so much I wouldn't say

[davth]

How many folk per day do you think you could expect on a weekly basis.
30, 40 ????

[allgood]

Say 40 @ £5 is 1400 over 7 days yes there is overheads to come off that

[davth]

40 cystomers per day is nowhere near enough to sustain a business.
Frankie and Lola's in Inverness is not a huge outfit and it takes in near on 350 customers a day.

A modest size set up is circa £30,000, then you need a premises, insurance, staff, renovations, kitchen equipment etc etc