Finedon-based kids play 'passion project' brings new sessions to recently re-opened Wellingborough cafe as it approaches first anniversary

A Finedon mother-of-two’s innovative idea has paid off as her personal business, Gray and Moo Soft Play Hire, is set to celebrate its first anniversary in October.

Niki Lewis, a project manager from the town, founded the business initially as a hobby, which has quickly grown into something far bigger.

She said: “Because I enjoy it it doesn’t feel like work, it’s more of a hobby that’s really taken off.

"I’m part-time at work, but I feel like I have a full-time job now because every evening and weekend I’m either setting up parties or prepping for it in the week.

“It’s a lot, but I’m really enjoying it, I’m loving it.

"It’s a real passion project, with my background in marketing, PR, design, it brings all of my passions together.”

Business was ‘quite slow’ for the first few months, but ‘blew up’ at the beginning of 2023, with regular bookings taking up most of Niki’s weekend as she takes the business as far as Milton Keynes and Peterborough.

Most bookings tend to be local, however, as Niki herself is based in, and works from, her Finedon home.

Gray and Moo was named after Niki’s sons, Grayson and Marley, who were instrumental to the initial idea for personalised, soft play parties, which came when Niki was planning a bash for one of her own children’s third birthday.

She said: “I wanted to take him to soft play or hire a place myself but I really struggled to find anything that was really beautiful, premium, and that looked great and not just a busy, built-up soft play centre.

"We ended up going to Wicksteed Park for his birthday, and that’s where it started from, I thought there’s a real a gap locally for nice soft play that you can hire and either have at home or hire your own that’s exclusive to you.

"I’m quite a creative person and my job only allows me to be somewhat creative, so I was missing that creative fire to my life."

Niki has taken strides to bring Gray and Moo Soft Play to the local area, and has set up ‘The Play Hub’ at the recently re-opened Ugly Mug cafe in Wellingborough, with the hope of hosting regular sessions moving forward.

On this, Niki added: “Being a mum, I’ve found a lack of somewhere locally to go in the week.

"For a really long time I’ve been trying to find somewhere that fit the vibe and feel of my brand where I can set up the soft play and charge people on a ticket basis.

“To come along you get a couple of hours, the children can use the equipment, and you can either make new friends when you’re there, or come with a friend to use the time to enjoy the space you're in.”

She said Ugly Mug ‘really suits the aesthetic’ of Gray and Moo.

The first ‘Play Hub’ session is fully booked, and will be on October 3, the anniversary of the business’ founding, and while the plan was originally for one session in the morning, due to popular demand an extra session in the afternoon was added as well as one on Friday, October 6.

Niki has expressed an eagerness to do something similar, ‘definitely’ in November and December.

On the plans for the future, Niki said: “I really wasn’t expecting it to take off and to grow so quickly.

“I have been quite chilled with it and let it organically grow without any kind of expectations of where it might end up.

"I’d like to keep like that for now, but I’m hopeful it will continue to grow.”