24 Nov 2025
A Glasgow-headquartered family entertainment group has secured a significant funding package from Bank of Scotland to support the next stage of its expansion, including the opening of its second site in England and upgrades to its Scottish venues.
WonderWorld Group, which operate 13 family entertainment centres predominantly across Scotland, has opened a new venue in Southampton, creating 30 new jobs and marking a major milestone in its business growth.
Developed inside a former bingo hall, the new venue features a giant multi-level play arena, interactive football pitch, a wide variety of slides including the towering volcano, a sensory room and free go-karts. For adults, there’s a café serving barista-style coffee, homemade cakes and hot food, making it a destination for the whole family.
The funding package will also support investment across the group’s Scottish portfolio, which includes popular venues in Glasgow, East Kilbride, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Kirkcaldy and Perth – home to some of the largest soft play, inflatable and trampoline parks in the country, with facilities of up to 75,000 square feet. Some of the new features being incorporated into these venues will consist of launch slides, role play villages and sensory equipment to appeal to all age groups.
The business began with a single site in Falkirk in 2013 and has since grown to dominate Scotland’s central belt. Today, it operates three entertainment brands – WonderWorld Soft Play, AirThrill Inflatable and Trampoline parks, and Electric Thrill arcade and Adventure Golf – offering fun for toddlers through to teens and beyond.
The group previously made its mark in England with the launch of an AirThrill site in Catford, London, in 2019, however the new Southampton venue marks its first dedicated WonderWorld site south of the border.
The business now employs nearly 400 people across the UK, with a 12-person head office in Glasgow leading finance, operations and marketing. Many members of the leadership team began their journeys on the play centre floor and have worked their way up.
Narinder Singh Baryah, managing director of WonderWorld, said: “We’ve gone from one site in Falkirk to 13 venues across the UK and we’re just getting started. Glasgow will always be our head office, and it’s where our culture of ambition, community and care was born.
“Opening in Southampton is a big step for us. It’s our first dedicated soft play venue in England and, thanks to support from Bank of Scotland, we’ve been able to deliver something really special while continuing to invest in our Scottish sites too.
“What makes me proudest, though, is the people. So many of our team started out supervising play areas and now they’re running the business. That sort of growth is what we’re all about and we’re already looking at where we’re going next.”
Kyle Gibson, relationship manager at Bank of Scotland, said: “WonderWorld is a brilliant example of a Scottish business that’s grown with heart and purpose. They’ve built something fun and inclusive, and it’s great to be helping them bring that vision to more communities across the UK.”
Giving back is also at the heart of the business. WonderWorld has been the headline sponsor of Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity for the past four years, regularly hosting exclusive soft play sessions for young patients at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. The partnership also supports fundraising for vital equipment and family accommodation at the hospital.
