A SOFT play centre in Bournemouth is celebrating being named the best in Dorset following "a difficult few years”.

Lollipops Play Café, in Westbourne, won the title of Best Soft Play in Dorset by family website DorsetMums for the second time after winning in 2020, just before lockdowns shut the centre down.

The Voted by DorsetMums awards are given out annually to businesses and attractions in the county, across a range of categories, including Best Family Attraction and Best Children’s Entertainer.

The soft play centre and café was presented the award by DorsetMums on February 14.

Bournemouth Echo:

Owner of Lollipops, Jody, said it was great to be able to celebrate receiving the award this time.

“We have won it before, but we weren’t able to shout about it,” she said.

“We’re quite a small team, and it just meant the world. It was quite a full café; we turned the music down and everyone cheered.”

Jody said soft play centres were particularly hard hit by the lockdowns.

“Our biggest hurdle has been Covid, which saw the business forced to close for over a year in total.

“Our industry was sadly the first to shut down and the last to reopen, seeing us incur huge financial losses,” she said.

“We’re hanging on in there, it has been a difficult few years.”

Bournemouth Echo:

The soft play was celebrated by DorsetMums for providing a “fun, safe, clean and friendly haven to parents, carers and children alike.”

Lollipops is in a converted church hall, and features a three level play frame, alongside a coffee shop, which DorsetMums praised as “modern and inviting”.

One voter for the centre said: “Great staff, it’s lovely and clean, and a nice menu for a lunch time snack. Also great for exclusive use parties.”

Bournemouth Echo:

The centre has been expanding its play facilities, opening a refurbished alpine garden last summer and adding an under 2s play frame in December.

Jody added: “We believe that the small details make the biggest impact, from each cup of latte art, to our signature heart motif on each hot chocolate, our customers are each made to feel that their individual experience matters most to us.”