World · Europe · 11 hrs ago
Rising costs put pressure on indoor soft play centres
Indoor soft play centres in Kidderminster are under financial pressure as running costs rise.
One business owner, Galbraith, said air conditioning and 5% VAT relief helped the business get through the summer.
The business can still pay its bills, but finances are tight.
Galbraith said rising costs and rent under a 10-year lease could make it harder to keep operating.
The Kidz Barn plans to close in January 2026 and will be put up for sale.
Its owners said the decision was difficult after the centre survived the challenges of the Covid pandemic.
Rising costs are putting pressure on indoor soft play centres, with one business owner saying the bills are “really tight.”
Galbraith said air conditioning and 5% VAT relief helped the business continue through the summer.
The owner said rising costs and rent under a 10-year lease raised questions about the business’s future.
The owners of The Kidz Barn in Kidderminster announced that the centre would close in January 2026 and be put up for sale.
- Who
- Soft play centre owner Galbraith and the owners of The Kidz Barn.
- What
- Rising costs are putting pressure on soft play centres; The Kidz Barn announced it would close and be put up for sale.
- When
- The article was published on 9 November 2026. The Kidz Barn announcement was described as having been made “last month,” with closure planned for January 2026.
- Where
- Kidderminster, England.
- Why
- Galbraith cited rising costs and rent under a 10-year lease. The Kidz Barn did not state a reason in the supplied article.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Galbraith said air conditioning and 5% VAT relief helped the business keep going.
The Kidz Barn owners announced the centre would close and be put up for sale.
The Kidz Barn was due to close, according to the announcement described in the article.
- VAT relief
- 5%
- Lease
- 10 years
- The Kidz Barn location
- Kidderminster
- Planned closure
- January 2026
What people are saying
really tight
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.