Family entertainment centre expands UK portfolio with Broadway Plaza deal

Birmingham leisure destination Broadway Plaza has signed family entertainment operator 360 Play as its latest tenant - bringing more than 40 new jobs to the site.

360 Play has agreed a 20-year lease on a 20,000 sq ft unit at the Five Ways venue.

The centre is expected to open in December, joining Broadway Plaza’s existing attractions, including Odeon and Hollywood Bowl.

Chris Catford, centre manager at Broadway Plaza, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome 360 Play to the Broadway Plaza family.

“We expect it to be a huge footfall driver, and complement our existing attractions including Odeon and Hollywood Bowl, continuing to position us as one of Birmingham’s leading leisure destinations and broaden our appeal to families from across the city and beyond.”

The new centre will offer screen-free play for children and adults together.

Attractions will include dodgems, a full-sized carousel, play frames and dedicated “edutainment” facilities, with more to be announced before opening.

Like 360 Play’s other centres, the Birmingham site will include a separate learning space. C

ommunity groups and instructors will be able to use it for organised activities such as music and movement classes and baby massage sessions. A family café will serve hot and cold food and coffee, with both traditional and healthy options.

The venue has been designed by 360 Play’s in-house architects, and the company has sought out local firms to help with construction.

It will be managed by Birmingham-based Ben Trew-Millichap, who has spent almost a decade with the group running its Redditch centre.

Duncan Phillips (pictured), founder and managing director of 360 Play, said: “We’ve been looking for the right place to bring our brand to Birmingham city centre for some time, and were determined not to rush that decision.

“Broadway Plaza has always ticked a lot of the boxes for us, from its location and accessibility to its established leisure offer, and we are pleased the right amount of space became available for us to deliver our brand earlier this year.

“We’re incredibly excited to bring 360 Play to the families of central Birmingham. Our centres are designed to give families somewhere they can genuinely enjoy together – a place where children can run, explore, learn and use their imaginations, while parents and caregivers can get involved too.

“We will create somewhere that families can afford to return to regularly, with enough variety that every visit can feel different.”

Duncan and his wife Sarah founded 360 Play more than 15 years ago, because they saw a need for screen-free destinations where parents and children could spend time together.

Duncan still leads the family business, which is headquartered in Milton Keynes.

The Birmingham centre will expand 360 Play’s UK network beyond its current seven sites, which include Redditch and Milton Keynes. The group employs more than 300 people.

Further details on the opening date and additional attractions will be announced in the coming weeks.