Friends join forces to launch safe and welcoming family play cafe with a difference in Northampton
Two mothers, who have been friends for the past two decades, have joined forces to launch a safe and welcoming play cafe with a difference for the families of Northampton.
Billi Oblakivic and Felicity Sohal are the founders of Friends and Babies Play Cafe, opening to the public on September 20 on St James Mill Road.
It was around a year-and-a-half ago when their children were babies when they decided to open a play cafe together, especially as they are former colleagues and went on the journey of motherhood together when their older teenage children were born.
Billi recently got made redundant from a company she had been at for 13 years and this gave her the push she needed to get out of her comfort zone and collaborate with Felicity, who already worked for herself.
The aim for Friends and Babies Play Cafe is to be a safe and secure space for parents to make friends and feel less alone.
The venue is kitted out with lots for children aged newborn to six to enjoy, including a role play village, two soft play areas with slides and netting, a SEN-focused sensory room, a baby floor area, a party room and baby changing facilities.
The hope is to introduce SEN sessions every Thursday and Billi explained this was inspired by the experiences of her non-verbal, autistic six-year-old nephew. This will give parents the chance to connect with like-minded others who understand their experiences.
The party room can be hired for a capacity of 15 children, or families can hire out the whole venue if they wish. The cafe will offer pastries, toast, toasted teacakes and sweet treats like brownies and cookies.
It was in April 2026 when Billi and Felicity got the keys to their premises, and they hope to fill a gap in the market by providing an accessible offering for people who live in and around Northampton town centre.
There will be three time slots for parents and children to book onto seven days a week, which are 9am until 11.30am, 12pm until 2pm, and 2.30pm and 4.30pm. The half an hour in between will ensure the place is fresh and sanitised for the next guests.
Each slot costs £12.95 per child and Friends and Babies Play Cafe welcomes young people up to the age of six. There is a discounted price of £6 for babies under 12 months, and accompanying adults of all children enter for free – which the pair hope will set them apart.
“We’re more than just somewhere for little ones to play, it’s a community,” said Billi. “We want families to come as they are and feel welcome, as having young children can be isolating. This is a space we would have loved for ourselves.”