Future of children's soft play business in Cheddar hanging in the balance post lockdown
Report by Ben McGrail
A children's soft play business in Cheddar has had to lay off 17 members of staff with its future hanging in the balance.
Ocean Adventurers is only a year old but it has spent a quarter of that time empty.
It follows there being no imminent prospect of restrictions on soft play areas easing.
A protest in Westminster failed to persuade the government that it is time for indoor play centres to welcome back families because of fears they may further increase the risk of Covid-19 spreading.
But this company is confident it can prevent that.
Many families say although visiting beauty spots is good for their children they are missing indoor venues, especially when it rains.
Although the future remains uncertain, Ocean Adventurers is confident it can survive long enough for children to come back.
But it does fear places like it may become few and far between.
The industry trade body BALPPA estimates that two-thirds of indoor play centres could go out of business by the autumn.