Press Release Summary: Time Twisters, an Edinburgh-based, Egyptian-themed children's adventure play centre is set to welcome its 200,000th visitor 18 months since opening. The centre is unique as it does not base itself on traditional play themes or offer sugary snacks. Within a year Time Twisters has scooped a Healthy Living Award and achieved a four-star VisitScotland rating, as well as celebrity support with the likes of J K Rowling taking her children there. The couple overcame their critics, including banks who had snubbed their bid for funding, by making the place the success it is today with a turnover of almost £500,000 in its first year.
A COUPLE who ploughed their life savings into an innovative play centre are celebrating after 150,000 customers visited in just 18 months.
Andy and Shirley Hixon have invested more than £600,000 to create TimeTwisters, an Eygptian-themed 8000 sq ft play centre which has already claimed two major awards.
The couple were inspired to start their own business after becoming fed up of grubby, plastic-clad play centres serving only sugary and fattening snacks - now their regulars including JK Rowling and a number of high profile sports stars.
Andy, who gave up his career in semiconductor marketing to launch TimeTwisters, said: "This is a real and meaningful landmark for us after an incredibly challenging 18 months.
"We always knew TimeTwisters was a fantastic idea but with hindsight we didn't realise just how difficult it was going to be turning the idea into reality. Getting to this point has difficult and we have had to go to extraordinary lengths to raise the finance necessary to bring our ideas to life.
"That included remortgaging our house, selling our car, maxing out on all our credit cards as well as taking out a mountain of personal and business debt. It was disappointing that we found funding so hard to come by through banks, business angels, investors and enterprise groups.
"But the success to date shows we were right to stand by our idea. We are now very much looking forward to breaking the 200,000 barrier before our second birthday."
In 18 months, TimeTwisters has: . Welcomed 20,000 kids through the door for birthday parties and other celebrations. . Seen 22,500 children under four and more than 40,000 children over four attend for a pay & play session. . Had a total 150,000 visits, including parents and babies, for either a play session or a visit to the restaurant. . Seen revenue split pay & play (38%), parties (26%), restaurant (36%). . Won a coveted Healthy Living Award in recognition of the quality and variety of healthy meal choices on its extensive menu . Achieved a four star VisitScotland rating following a quality assurance assessment that examined every aspect of the TimeTwisters customer experience. This also included rating the centre as Category 1 disabled access.
Crucially, TimeTwisters is also working to build its links with schools which are discovering the educational benefits the centre can bring, encouraging children to learn about life in Ancient Egypt.
The interior design includes many elements of Egyptian temple architecture and educational elements, such as hieroglyphics and Egyptian gods within the play structure itself, so children learn while they play.
In addition to the play areas, the restaurant has proven a key component of the venue's success. Having recently obtained a coveted healthy living award, TimeTwisters challenges preconceptions about children's food.
Andy, who was also head chef during the first nine months of the business, said: "It was very important to me that we got the quality of the food right from the outset. I was always so frustrated when Shirley and I took our two children to places that were supposed to cater for kids, but never seemed to make much effort to provide decent food.
"With TimeTwisters I wanted to offer a range of meals and snacks aligned to our overall health and exercise ethos, and at the same time be very tasty. The healthy living award that we recently won is great because it formally recognises that we are achieving what we set out to do."
The restaurant presents a defiantly health-orientated menu using fresh, quality ingredients and refuses to include sweets and drinks high in additives.
Of the four-star Visit Scotland award, Shirley said: "It was a real boost after all our efforts. TimeTwisters is a significant step up for the quality of children's attractions in Edinburgh and throughout Scotland and we are delighted to have achieved recognition of that with a prestigious VisitScotland award.
"As parents, we have long felt there was a need for indoor play centres where children could play and the adults could relax too. With TimeTwisters, we have endeavoured to create a stylish, pleasing environment for adults to relax and enjoy a coffee, chat or read the paper while their children play happily.
"We also feel it's important that health and education is not compromised. At TimeTwisters children are learning about a fascinating historical era, discovering delicious healthful meals and snacks and - most importantly - having a great time playing and getting a fantastic amount of exercise.
"We are delighted with the way things have gone and believe the TimeTwisters brand can grow from strength to strength. We would love to get to the stage where we can roll out new venues across the country incorporating different themes from other historical periods."
ENDS
For further information contact Sarah Urquhart at Holyrood Partnership on 0131 561 2241, 07966 893353 or sarah@holyroodpr.co.uk
Web Site: http://business.scotsman.com/ViewArticle.aspx?articleid=3588923
Contact Details: Holyrood Partnership Bonnington Bond 29 Breadalbane Street Edinburgh EH6 5JW
2022
