“I’ve always worked with children, starting out my career as a teacher in a local primary school and then spending the following nine years teaching students from Year 3 and Year 5. After leaving my teaching job, I set up baby and toddler classes with a business partner. We did this for two years, building great relationships with parents and children locally, and the classes became really popular.

“One piece of feedback we often heard from parents was that there weren’t many places locally where children could play and learn. I’d always wanted to start my own business, and this feedback from parents is what inspired me to create an inviting, inspiring play village designed to help children learn through play.”

“Taking inspiration from indoor play villages in the US and Dubai, I started sketching out my ideas for Little Liverpool. Having lived in South Liverpool my whole life, I knew I wanted to model the play village on my local area, incorporating as many elements as possible to make it enriching for the children. It was also important to include a nice area for parents to enjoy too, so a café area was added into the design.

“When it came to looking for a space to bring Little Liverpool to life, Matchworks was top of my list. It’s such an iconic building and with the play village modelled on the very same area, it just made sense. As soon as I came to look round and saw the spaces on offer, I knew Matchworks was the right place for Little Liverpool.

“The double-height spaces are perfect for the play village, offering room for more possibility and imagination, and the natural light that comes through to the spaces is unlike many other children’s indoor play spaces. The Urban Splash team were great in talking me through the different options, and the flexible leasing terms make it easier to grow and expand within the building.”

“Once I’d secured the space, everything started moving quickly. I worked closely with a specialist play equipment company to bring the village to life, tailoring the design to work with the dimensions of the space. We’ve got a coffee shop, hairdressers, convenience store and a vet, as well as other play stations and soft and sensory elements.

“Every part of the village has been purposefully designed to encourage learning and development for children aged seven and under. There are endless possibilities for role play, problem solving and imaginative adventures and the colours, textures and layouts used have been carefully considered to be visually stimulating yet calming.

“For parents, we’ve got a spacious café area, and I always make sure to buy in great coffee, cakes and pastries to make it a comfortable experience for them while their children play.”

“I’ve been completely overwhelmed with how well Little Liverpool has been received since we opened. I posted a photo of the space the day before we opened and we had 10,000 new followers within a week. We’ve rolled out our stay and play sessions throughout the week, and we’re fully booked on the weekends for birthday parties.

“I’m constantly being asked what the plans are for expanding, which is amazing. The feedback we’ve had from parents and children has been fantastic, and it’s clear the space is highly valued and has been a great addition to Liverpool. I’m really looking forward to our future at Matchworks – we’ve got some great seasonal events planned this year, and I’m excited to see where Little Liverpool takes me.”