Reopening of Thurso play centre brings joy to local children
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Owners of Messy Nessy, a Thurso soft-play centre, are delighted to reopen their doors today after an eight-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Bookings for activities have been in high demand with slots throughout the first week already filled.
"It has been a long eight months, it is nice to be open," said Fiona Carlisle, one of the owners. "I have been inundated with messages. We can not meet the demand for our activities – the children have had nothing to do for so long."
Based in the town's Rotterdam Street, the popular soft-play centre has been shut since March along with similar facilities throughout Scotland as a result of the current restrictions.
Although Scottish Government announced targeted funding at the end of October for soft-play centres and nightclubs, the owners of Messy Nessy are still waiting for Highland Council to start the claim process.
One-off grants of up to £50,000 will be available to businesses in both sectors through the Covid-19 Contingency Fund. Grants will be based on rateable value.
Announcing the funding, business minister Jamie Hepburn said: “We know that nightclubs and soft-play centres have been particularly badly hit by this pandemic – unlike the majority of businesses, they have not been allowed to open since March. These grants take account of those exceptional circumstances and will provide a boost as we continue to tackle the virus."
Mrs Carlisle and her husband Ian set up the play centre two years ago and had feared they might need to close altogether if funding was not made available from the Scottish Government.
Over the last eight months they have been accessing every loan and grant possible as well as funding the centre out of their own pockets.
"We are still waiting for the Scottish Government funding," Mrs Carlisle said. "We have not received an application form from Highland Council yet - nothing is simple.
"We are so grateful we are open as obviously we have had no money for such a long time."
She explained they were able to plan the reopening following the tier one announcement and play centres being given the go ahead by the Highland Council.
Following the Covid-19 guidelines, Messy Nessy has a new way of doing things with all bookings required to be made in advance. The ball pit upstairs is no longer in use, instead the area is set aside to crafts such as ceramic pottery and a fixed soft-play frame is located downstairs.
The business is planning lots of activities in the run up to Christmas and will very likely be the only place in Thurso running a Santa's Grotto this year due to the on-going restrictions.
"It is one of those things that the kids want to see," said Mrs Carlisle. "It will give some normality in all this craziness."
Those attending the grotto will each get 10 minutes with Santa.
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Soft play businesses 'totally forgotten about', say owners of Thurso centre
We need funding, say play centre owners as they fear being forced out of business
