New plans revealed for Tickety-Boo

Stuart Phillips, owner of Ottery St Mary coffee shop Tickety-Boo has announced plans for the business following the closure earlier this month of the play area.

The move means that not only will the play area still be usable – albeit on different terms than before - but there will be new activities available for younger children.

This is because the back section of the building which formerly housed the soft play and pirate ship is being rented to Baby Sensory. This award-winning initiative runs WOW programmes for babies and children from birth to Key Stage 1.

Jen Steward from Baby Sensory East Devon said: “It is a really exciting development for us and we’re looking forward to making great use of the space.

“We’re expecting to launch our classes at the new ‘Baby Sensory Wow Centre’ at Tickety-Boo on Saturday November 2 with our weekend special Baby Pumpkin, a non-spooky family-friendly party. Our Winter term will follow on from that.”

Stuart has decided to retain the main section of the play kingdom, which was bespoke-made by local tradespeople. This area will now be available for private hire for children’s parties and other events, with catering available if required.  

In another change to operations, the café will be open until 9.30pm on Fridays and Saturdays for family-friendly dining. This includes complimentary use of the play area for children accompanying diners. The evening menu comprises starters, main courses and desserts, with a separate children’s menu offering a main meal for just £4.95.

Stuart said: “Closing the play kingdom was a hard decision because of all the work that had gone into it.

“This solution, where we welcome a baby-friendly business into the premises and still make use of the play area, seems like a great option to me and the staff. We’re very excited to move into the next stage of Tickety-Boo!”

To find out more about Baby Sensory visit www.babysensory.com/eastdevon