Devastating Budget Impact: Children's Play Centre Closes Its Doors

A beloved children’s play centre, known as Children’s Play Village in Warwick, has announced its immediate closure, attributing the decision to the ”catastrophic effect” of the Chancellor’s latest autumn budget statement. The centre, which has been operating for eight years, made the announcement on social media, expressing that despite striving to recover from the pandemic and the ongoing cost of living crisis, the recent budget changes introduced in April proved insurmountable.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves stated that the adjustments, including changes to employer’s National Insurance, were essential for fixing the budget and enabling funding for vital services like the NHS. The play centre shared its disappointment, explaining it had successfully restructured previously and had experienced a positive Christmas and early 2025 season. However, they were not prepared for the far-reaching impacts of the autumn budget on the hospitality sector.

In their announcement, the business acknowledged the community’s support and pledged to reach out to guests with existing bookings, expressing hope that the Village might reopen under new ownership in the future, remarking, ”We are simply heartbroken.” The response from the community has been overwhelmingly supportive, with many former customers expressing sadness over the closure. Comments highlighted the importance of the centre, particularly its services for those with special educational needs (SEN) and the joy it brought to families.

In a broader context, industry leaders had previously warned that recent tax increases, particularly in National Insurance contributions, would likely lead to more closures and job losses in the hospitality sector. Over 200 industry representatives had written to the Chancellor, emphasizing that the changes placed an unsustainable burden on the hospitality sector, a sentiment echoed by those directly affected, such as the Children’s Play Village.