by As half-term draws to a close in England, uninspired families might appreciate a new day out: on Friday, the Paddington Bear Experience opened its doors in London, promising an “interactive experience unique and fun. ” which covers more than 2,400 square meters (26,000 square feet) and includes themed rooms, character interactions – and marmalade sandwiches.
But the experience comes at a cost: with weekend ticket prices of £49 for adults and £39 for children, a family of four can expect to pay £176 for the 70-minute event – and a lot more if they wanted to watch the event. books, games and toys available for purchase in Mr Gruber’s antique shop afterwards.
The Paddington Bear Experience arrives at County Hall on the South Bank amid an apparent trend towards large-scale immersive “experiences” over traditional family days out, with far higher payouts.
Shrek’s Adventure is also available at the same venue! London, an immersive 70-minute trip that costs £21 per child on a standard ticket this weekend.
Elsewhere, on Tottenham Court Road in central London, families can book in to play a mid-sized version of Monopoly, with tickets starting at almost £50 per player.
The phenomenon is not limited to London, however, with the likes of Bristol’s Wake the Tiger Amazement Park offering a “self-guided multi-sensory art experience for all ages”.
And in February this year, Glasgow’s now famous Willy’s Chocolate Experience charged up to £35 a ticket for an immersion attraction but ended up delivering little more than a few jelly beans, a quarter cup of lemonade and some plastic props.
Last week, families compared Brick Fest Live, an event billed as “the UK’s biggest Lego festival”, held at the NEC in Birmingham, to a Willy Wonka event in Glasgow after coming to find it “to basically empty”.
The growth of large-scale immersive activities is being driven by “the demand for engaging, story-driven experiences”, said Juliana Delaney, chief executive of Continuum Attractions, whose portfolio includes Edinburgh’s Real Mary King’s Close and Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower by him.
“These large-scale immersive interactions take the guest out of their everyday and transport them to another space where they can forget their daily challenges for a while.”
These come with increased operating costs, but strategies such as tiered pricing, VIP packages and “early bird” discounts can ensure accessibility, she said. “Many are willing to spend on the right experiences that they feel give them quality, value and memories that last.”
But as the cost of living crisis continues and child poverty grows, some believe many families are at risk of being cut off from recreational opportunities across the country that are rising at attractive prices. A 2023 poll of more than 1,000 parents and carers by the charity Family Action found that 76% of families were worried about the cost of days out due to the cost of living crisis and that more than a quarter planned to leave completely during the summer holidays. .
Ellen Abbott, a single parent with two children aged six and 10 in the Greater Manchester area, said she had a severe cut back this half term. “It would cost more than my weekly salary to take them to new activities every day, and I already know to save money for Christmas because they are desperate to go on a Polar Express train ride,” she said, at note that many such activities now require pre-booking weeks or even months in advance.
“Even ‘old fashioned’ museums, galleries and bowling are so expensive when you consider snacks, travel and gift shops – especially as a single parent when I don’t usually qualify for family discounts,” said Abbott.
Lynn Perry, chief executive of Barnardo’s, said the cost of living crisis was “straining household budgets and pushing more families into poverty”. “Many of the people we support have to make heartbreaking choices about what to cut from their budgets to make ends meet,” she said. “Living in poverty means that children miss out on opportunities and the activities that make youth fun and support their development.”
Related: Bill for family days out at some UK attractions ‘almost double’
Charities supporting the country’s most vulnerable children and families said they were feeling the effects of the rising cost of entertainment. “For families looking after children with additional needs, a simple day out can often be an unaffordable extra cost,” said Ryan Sinclair, chief executive of Happy Days Children’s Charity, which provides days out and experiences for children with a wide range. conditions, disabilities and challenges.
“The cost of living crisis is clearly compounding the pressure parents are already struggling to cope with, and we are working hard to help as many families as we can. However, due to the increase in requests for support in recent years, it is inevitable that our resources are stretched more and more.”
Liat Hughes Joshi, author of a parenting book, said families should try to resist the “overwhelming pressure to fix an expensive holiday calendar”. “There are no prizes for being the parent who took their children most days out over the school holidays … so ignore what anyone else is doing,” she said.
“It sounds cliched, but being the best parent you can be, in your family’s circumstances, isn’t about theme parks or the latest immersive experience – it’s about time, love and attention.”
