Cafe with play area - good idea?

RadoJo

If you have a premises in mind, you need to check that it can be used for this kind of thing - a cafe requires different planning permission from a standard retail shop so make sure it's not limited to one type of business.

bestpud

I think it's a good idea but I imagine it may be a nightmare to run.

I'm wondering what sort of toys you are thinking of and how/if you will monitor them to stop children throwing things around, or pinching toys. Also, would you ensure children ate at the table so they aren't slopping food/drinks all over the play area?

I know this is the parents job but we all know how some children behave at mums and tots groups!

I like the idea of having books for adults/children to look at and/or buy as well.

I imagine you'd need to look into ways of cleaning play equipment but I am sure you've thought of that.

What age group are you catering for and what would you do if a man/woman came in and sat down alone, without a child?

I'm not asking because I see anything wrong with that as such, but rather I fear it would put a lot of parents off.... Just something to think about really.

I sound quite critical, sorry! I think it is a great idea and was just saying the few things that popped into my head.

I think some comfy chairs, nice coffee/cakes and something to read for mums on their own (maybe some magazines/daily papers would be ideal! I'd have used it.

I second letting it out to groups too - I think there are a few who would value having a meeting place where they can let their children play safely.

You could also look into things like Nappachino(sp?) mornings...

Oooh, and my last thought - little toilets/training seats would be good and a breast feeding corner, or better still breast feeding allowed throughout the cafe?

mookiandco

After the birth of my little one, I started meeting up with the girls from my NCT group (7 of us). We struggled to find somewhere where we felt comfortable with breastfeeding, crying babies, getting food/drink and juggling the baby, nappy changing facilities (not manky ones), the price of food and drink (we were meeting a couple of times a week), being able to sit together as a large group without rearranging the cafe, fitting the buggies in etc. If we could have found somewhere that atleast took the majority of these into account it would have been perfect.

If you do get it up and running it might be an idea to advertise in your local NCT magazine along with websites like netmums and mumsnet.

Now my little one is older she cant stay sitting in her buggy or in the highchair whilst we chat so we are meeting at our homes so the little ones can play. But it would be nice to have somewhere where the little ones can play safely in a homely environment but where we (the mummys) can feel like ladies who lunch (without using up all our maternity pay) and enjoy being out and about.

fernliebee

We go to Ikea as we live just round the corner and has a great play area and free tea/ coffee! The things that I like about the play area there are that it has low walls on 2 sides and is open on the other two sides so you can sit at a table near it and watch littlies while drinking your drinks. Also they regularly change the toys there to whatever is new in stock (as obv they want you to see LO playing with it and say 'oooh better buy one of them') however IMO if running it on a small scale you could easily have different toy's you rotate rather than fixed equipment. Also our Ikea has just been refurbed and now has a nice feeding area. It is attractively screened rather than shut off from all humanity and is not specifically for breastfeeding but is quiet and nice for babies if they are cranky or you do want to feed them privately (I never bothered as I'm too nosy and didn't like being shut away! )

I understand from your OP (I may be wrong) that you are thinking of running a nice cafe that happens to have a good play area, rather than a cafe only targeted at parents? In that case I don't believe you are alienating other customers and would open yourselves up to more business. Personally I hate those play barn type play areas as the cafe is always out of sight of the kids playing and the kids get so hyped and IME are so badly supervised that I always witness fights and injuries.

apples1

My husband and I do run a business and If I could have a pound for the number of times I've heard Mums suggest this we could give up work and retire! Do remember that just because you and many other Mum's would like to have one to go to it does not make it a profitable business. I can't imagine anyone without kids wanting to go to a cafe full of children so you will have a limited client base and they will only come at limited times of the day.

I knew people who set up a wonderful soft play with great cafe, homemade food and cakes etc and went under after less than two years. You need to research ALL the cost involved for everything including good staff and then think could you really fill it with enough Mums spending enough money (that's the critical bit) to make a profit. The odd NCT group and a few groups of Mums buying a couple of coffees won't pay the rent let alone - rates, insurance, staff, cleaners, food costs, maintainance, advertising, bank charges............

The lovely comfy chairs would be great but not so great after Blackcurrent juice on them and the little one that didn't quite make it to the toilet and the ketchup stain etc. The maintainance just on a day to day basis would be horrific and unless it was spotless nobody would speak well of it as a place to take kids. Any toys not fixed to the premises will walk and fixed play equipment gets wee on it, blood from nose bleeds, and food mashed into it (despite all those signs that say no food on the equipment). You would need lots of baby changing facilities (constantly cleaned) and you would have a very big health and safety requirement. There is a reason these places are expensive and a reason they have signs up saying you cannot take any of your own food or drink (as that's pretty much the only way to make a profit). Most Mums resent this and many will smuggle in snacks and buy very little from you whilst their kids play on your equipment.

I wish you well but try to think it through as a business rather than a Mum and see if it still works for you.

Gingernutmeg

I have a friend who used to work as a nanny and we'd often meet up at a place called Crumpet in Clapham, which is a child friendly cafe/tea room. Obviously it's very much geared towards the mums in the Nappy Valley, but it was always busy and the children loved it. IIRC there was plenty of room for adults in their own too, and was always popular as the tea and cakes were so good. There's a link to their website here - it might be useful for ideas

Errata

OP you know your own town best, what may go down a storm in one town may become quickly bankrupt in another.
Clearly you need to be able to run a cafe and the fact that you think it will need a chef suggests to me that you have a lot to learn about catering before you put your hand in your pocket.

RoxieW

Thank you for all the helpful replies - you've all certainly given me some food for thought! Funnily enough have just come back from ikea where lo had a play while I had a coffee. Obv really need to do alot of research and will start doing this. The point about how much people will spend is very valid. I know we are limiting our market but we would only really be interested in opening 9.30 - 3pm (the cafes in the town are only open this time so there cant be much tea time trade going) so Mums and tots would be our target market. We are a town flanked by several villages where as far as I know there is nothing similar and our town is where all those mums come to do their shopping.
Have to go do homework/tea time etc now but will update when I have time to properly digest the replies Thanks again

sooz

I love going to well run places like that, a friendly cafe with a welcoming corner of toys. We are lucky to have several locally.

But I'd hate to try to run one. 4 mums, plus 4 buggies, plus 4 children takes up a lot of room, but in the course of one or two hours of chatting & playing they may only get a couple of drinks...I can't see much profit there. The ones near me are either run by the church (who heavily subsidise their rates & the staffing costs) or share larger facilities with other groups (football classes, acting classes, gym classes etc), & open for parties etc to bring in the real money.
If you only want to open school hours, is there anywhere locally where you could share a space rather than renting it alone? Perhaps the local school itself has a room you could rent?

*Louise*

We had one locally which was split into two sections. The serving area was in the middle. In front was a comfy chair area for people who were just having coffee. Behind the counter through a short corridor the second sectin had a (small) soft play area with tables/chairs for parents etc.

Unfortunately it was never very busy and has since closed down - probably due to the cost/the recession, etc, I wasn't paying £6 for three kids to play there regularly when the park was just up the road But when we did go, they all enjoyed it.