The owner’s of Northampton’s biggest soft play are busy preparing for welcoming thousands of people through its doors this summer following the Government’s announced of its VAT saving scheme.The powerhouse that is the Riverside Hub, in Carousel Way, first flung open its doors to the public on August 21, 2013 by Valentina and Ellis Potter who for the past 13 years have lovingly made it the huge success it is today. A summer of fun at the Hub awaits with the Government reducing VAT which will be based on to customers to make savings on a family day outHaving spent months visiting existing indoor play centres and making a list of their likes, dislikes and ideas of their own, that was when they secured the massive empty space of a unit within the Riverside business park. The pair remortgaged their home, borrowed money from family members and threw everything they had into reaching the million pounds they needed to make their vision a reality.The aim for Riverside Hub was always not just to be an indoor play centre, but somewhere unique and unlike anywhere else.Fast forward to to the summer of 2026, the ginormous soft play has seen around five to six million pounds worth of investment and a wage bill alone of £125,000, figures which Ellis describe as ‘quite scary’. The couple currently have a 110-strong team of staff both full and part time, as well as various sub-contractors they bring in when needed. When the Chron asked Ellis if he ever imagined the Hub would be as successful as it is today, he said: “Not really, no. We thought it could do okay, but we keep on investing and our catchment areas keeps getting bigger and bigger because we have so much here. We regularly have people travel for two hours or more to get to us.”The play centre attracts a phenomenal amount of visitor numbers per month from the lowest of 17,000 in June to 42,000 in December. Ellis said: “We love what we have created here and it’s very flattering when people tell us they have travelled a long distance.”People who live in Northamptonshire must think that all play centres are like the Hub, but to be honest we’re a bit of a unicorn. Nowhere else spends the silly money that we do on new features all the time, but amazingly, it works and we’re still in business 13 years later and looking forward to the next 13!”Ellis describes wife Valentina as the brains behind the incredible special touches that make the hub so unique.He said: “Valentina is probably the most creative person dreaming up and designing play and sensory spaces in the UK. I might sound biased, but I know the indoor play industry well and nobody comes up with the constant stream of good ideas Valentina does.”The hardworking couple work around the clock and have been known to work right through the night on a few occasions, with maintenance teams coming in overnight due to the Hub being a seven day a week operation. Never ones to sit still, Ellis and Valentina are constantly looking to the future and the next investment. New areas will be opening up within a few months with plans for ‘visually exciting walk-throughs’, a beautiful giant tree that comes to life at Christmas as well as new sensory and play areas.Ellis explains: “We spend a high six figure sum on new play features each year. As long as people keep visiting we will keep on improving.”To begin with the parking was a ‘free-for all’ which would cause uncertainty for customers but now with a pre-booking system in place, visitors know exactly whether they’re able to paid or not.The moved was described as a ‘huge improvement on the visitor experience’ with Ellis adding: “ In leisure, if you are standing still then you are realistically going backwards, so we must improve.”Ellis states that the whole Hub will look very different in two years from now whilst retaining all the play features that people love.The couple are now prepping for a busy summer ahead as schools begin to break up, boosted by the announcement of the government’s Great British Summer Savings scheme aimed at family activities and dining experiences.With a reduction in VAT from 20 to 5 per cent, the Hub will pass the savings onto customers meaning cheaper tickets from now until September 1. Continue Reading
Northampton’s phenomenal multi million pound soft play which employs 110 people and attracts thousands of visitors from miles around gears up for summer holidays with reduced price tickets for families
