The owners of soft play centres say they're devastated by today's announcement that they still can't reopen.
Businesses shut their doors in March when lockdown hit and have remained closed for months.
Despite other leisure venues reopening and more being told they can reopen from August 1, soft play is on the list of those that can't.
The Prime Minister's announcement follows a protest in London yesterday, Thursday, when play centre mascots representing indoor soft play centres across the UK, descended on Westminster in a desperate bid to save their businesses.
The mascots were joined on Parliament Square by owners, staff and young families, all urging the government to provide clear guidance on when and how they can reopen.
BALPPA - the trade body representing British leisure parks, piers and attractions - had already launched an online petition urging Boris Johnson to rescue the indoor play industry from closure. It has amassed more than 20k signatures in just a week.
Wendy Unsworth, owner of Pipsqueaks Play Cafe in Wigan, said she was 'devastated about today’s announcement'.
"Yet again, we have been given no date to work towards and no further financial support," she told the M.E.N.
"The industry employs 22,000 people and I would expect many of these will now be facing redundancy. This is a massive blow as the government clearly doesn’t value us an industry – I just feel for the youngest children in our community who desperately need somewhere safe to play."
Earlier this week Wendy shared an open letter on her business's Facebook page, urging customers and the wider community to show their support.
In it, she encouraged them to help raise the profile of indoor play centres, which she describes as 'basically a gym for babies and young children' offering 'unstructured, non-prescriptive exercise in disguise' at a time when it is needed more than ever.
After eights years of running Pipsqueaks, Wendy is confident the place can 'recover and rebuild', but says 'indoor play isn't getting the recognition it deserves for the value it adds to local communities'.
She understands that some families will be reluctant to return to soft play, but wants people who know the value of such places to show their support, even if they won't be first through the doors on reopening day.
"Sharing this letter on social media would really help," she said. "Supporting us in real life conversations with your friends and family. Signing the Rescue Indoor Play petition will help - it isn't about holding our hands out and asking for money or demanding we open tomorrow - we want to open when it's safe to do so. We just need to know that the government understands what we bring to the table."
A recent survey undertaken by BALPPA, which represents more than 180 indoor play centres, revealed up to two thirds of the country’s indoor play centres are facing permanent closure within weeks.
Paul Kelly, BALPPA chief executive, said: “Over the past month, more than 20 of our members have gone out of business. A survey we conducted among our members showed that nearly two thirds of the remaining centres will permanently shut by October.
"Without further financial support, the very future of this entire sector is at risk. The indoor play sector already has Covid-secure guidelines signed off by the Health and Safety Executive, Public Health England and the government. All they’re asking for is for a clear timetable of when they can re-open."
Kidsaurus Play Centre in Stockport is another venue that remains closed and owners there are also encouraging families to sign the petition.
A spokesperson said: "All the play centres are suffering financially as we all have the same grant, like any other business, but we will be the last ones to open and have to do a lot of alterations to make it to the new standards. It's an extremely difficult time for us."
On Friday morning the Prime Minister announced his new timetable for the further easing of lockdown.
He said that most remaining leisure facilities would be able to reopen from August 1. That includes bowling alleys, skating rinks and casinos.
Indoor performances with live audiences will be able to restart and he added that trials will begin of larger gatherings in places like sports stadiums 'with a view to a wider reopening in the autumn'.
However, nightclubs and soft play areas will not be able to reopen from August 1.
“Nightclubs, soft play areas – sadly – need to remain closed for now, although this will be kept under review," he told the briefing.
