Closure threat sparks campaign to save Little Exeter children’s play space

Families in Exeter have launched a campaign to save Little Exeter, a non-profit indoor play space for children under seven, amid warnings that it is due to close later this month.

A petition calling on Guildhall Shopping Centre and Exeter City Council to intervene has gathered nearly 750 signatures in three days, as parents and carers raise concerns about the loss of what they describe as the only city-centre play space of its kind.

Little Exeter, based on the first floor of the Guildhall Shopping Centre, is currently expected to close on 21 February following proposed rent and service charge increases. 

Campaigners say the short timeframe and lack of alternative facilities in the city centre have prompted families to act quickly.

Supporters argue that the venue plays an important role not only for young children but also for parents, carers and the wider city centre economy. 

Many say it provides a rare indoor space where children can play safely while families visit shops, cafés and other businesses nearby.

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Exeter City Council confirmed it has been involved with the project since its launch. A council spokesperson said: “We have worked closely with Little Exe CIC since 2023 and offered them during that time support with their business and very competitive terms.”

“However, Little Exe CIC announced in November that it intended to close and we are awaiting formal confirmation”

“Whilst Little Exeter has announced its closure, our toddler garden play area located on the first floor in front of Unit 27 remains open for use free of charge to families in the city.”

The owner of Little Exeter, Nikki Fairclough, said the project was originally launched in 2023 while she was working as marketing manager for the Guildhall Shopping Centre, as a one-year initiative designed to strengthen family engagement in the city centre.

She said the scheme was extended twice due to its popularity and positive impact, but financial conditions later changed. 

According to Ms Fairclough, Little Exeter was informed it would become liable for business rates, utilities, rent and a service charge of around £52,000 a year.

She said discussions also indicated interest from national retailers in the unit. “We were told very clearly that there was national retailer interest and advised not to explore transferring the space to another organisation,” she said.

Ms Fairclough said the venue operates on a not-for-profit basis and that increasing prices significantly would undermine its purpose. “We could raise prices and become a profitable business, but that defeats the point. Little Exeter was created because play shouldn’t cost the earth, and families shouldn’t be stuck at home in winter because there’s nowhere to go.”

She added that there are currently no comparable indoor play facilities in Exeter city centre. “All the alternatives have closed. There is nothing else like this in the city centre.”

Blaire Andres, a local parent who organised the petition who spoke to Exeter Today, said families had mobilised rapidly once the potential closure became clear.

“We’ve been coming here since our son was really little,” she said. “There aren’t many places in the city centre where children can move around safely, and this has always been affordable and accessible.”

She added that the space had become a meeting point for parents who might otherwise feel isolated. “When you’re a new parent, it can be really isolating. This is one of the few places where parents can meet, keep their children safe, and feel welcome in the city.”

Ms Andres said she hoped the campaign would lead to constructive discussions. “I know there are funding pressures, but that shouldn’t mean losing spaces that provide such clear community benefit. This really raises the question of what kind of city Exeter wants to be.”

She added: “This is like an anchor business that brings families into the city who wouldn’t otherwise come in. The response to the petition has been overwhelming – in the first hour there were 200 signatures and now there are more than 1,100.”

Campaigners argue that the loss of Little Exeter would have wider consequences for the city centre, both socially and economically.

Ms Andres said: “Little Exeter is a place where I feel welcomed as a parent. It makes me feel as if the city welcomes children. If we lose all these spaces, I don’t think parents will be coming into town anymore – and we do so much business here.”

Parents involved in the campaign have raised concerns that the toddler garden would be unable to accommodate the number of families currently using Little Exeter, potentially leading to overcrowding.

Comments on the petition reflect a broad range of support from across Exeter and surrounding areas. 

Adrian Currie, from St James, said: “These kinds of non-profits are crucial and shouldn’t be pushed out by increasing rent.”

Harriet Fiddimore, from Pinhoe, said: “Places like this are critical in combating loneliness in parents and are so important for young children’s social development.”

Others warned the closure could reduce family visits to the city centre. Mel Godfrey, from West Clyst, said: “There is nothing like this in the city centre. I won’t be coming into town as much now.”

Campaigners are urging families to sign the petition and contact councillors to ask for a solution that reflects Little Exeter’s non-profit status and contribution to the city centre.

Unless an agreement is reached, Little Exeter is expected to close on 21 February.