Riverside Hub owners counting down the days until they can reopen with brand new play features

A popular Northampton play centre will reopen in less than three weeks and the owners are so excited that they are counting down the days.

Riverside Hub in Carousel Way has been forced to shut three times during the pandemic and the most recent closure has lasted for more than four months.

Despite losing up to £1,000 a day, the business owners have kept the much-loved attraction alive and have even managed to add new features to the centre.

Ellis and Valentina Potter are now looking forward to showing off the new play equipment to excited customers when they are allowed to reopen on May 17 at 9.30am.

Ellis said: “We’re in a much better frame of mind now as the end is in sight.

“We are very excited and a lot of other people are excited as much as we are.

“We are literally counting down the days until we can reopen.

“We have been very busy during lockdown as we have spent five months building a new two-storey role play house, which includes a beauty parlour, a restaurant and a couple of chill out rooms.

“We have also just taken a delivery of an interactive sandbox, which is state-of-the-art for sensory play and we have refurbished all the areas for the little ones.

“It will look totally different when people come back and see it again. It will also feel more spacious due to reduced capacity.”

For at least the first month, The Hub will only be able to operate at half its usual capacity and the business will be unable to host birthday parties until later in the year, once the rule of six and social distancing are abolished.

However, Ellis says they have already received many enquiries about parties, which gives them confidence that the demand is there for the business.

He added: “It’s so nice to know that people really want to come back and that we have a business to pick up and carry on with.

“What has gone in the past is behind us now and we have to look forward.

“We still have loads of plans for more new play equipment and to keep developing and growing.

“The future is looking rosey.”

In terms of Covid-safety, the centre will continue with the measures it implemented last year when it was allowed to open, including sanitising units across the space, fewer tables, an app to order food and drink, online booking only and reduced capacity.

Ellis says the measures are the ‘new normal’ and that they are always looking at new ways to ‘make people feel that The Hub is a safe and responsible place.’

Search Riverside Hub to book.

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