In July 2025 on a drizzly summers day in Blackpool we booked a morning slot at The Gruffalo & Friends Clubhouse. The place opened at 10am and we were set to go with our 10.30am slot nice and early on a Sunday morning.

We had no idea what to expect and clearly should have done our research beforehand. I was thinking it might be some kind of experience or museum to walk around but instead we entered through the doors and were presented with one giant room. This was a glorified soft play. To say I was disappointed was an understatement! But bare with me, this isn’t a bad review!

Whilst we were surprised and I was pretty frustrated that I wasn’t wearing socks… We grabbed a table and got ready to explore!

Whilst everything here is just in one giant room, it’s actually well segmented so you feel like you are getting involved in multiple activities.

The place is beautifully decorated and really makes the most of the iconic illustrations with cute little figures from the books dotted around the place. Our 2 year old loved saying hello to all the characters.

In the center of the room there is a large playground. It’s aimed at children over 110cm which in my opinion is quite restrictive! I’m only 152cm! So my daughter was too small to go on here but I’ll let you in to a little secret… I went on with her and we had a blast. We went down the slide together a couple of times and it was quite possibly the fastest slide I’ve ever ridden! I think the photo says it all.

We had a lot of fun on this playground because it was clean, pretty and felt very safe and actually perfect for toddlers. I loved the visuals in this place, the decor and lighting was beautiful – Something I don’t think I’ve ever said about a soft play centre!

In one corner there was a little baby soft play section themed from Room on the Broom. It had a cauldron in that was cute. On the other side there was Zog’s castle, another soft play aimed at toddlers onwards with slides too.

There was another massive soft play to one side of the room and this welcomed toddlers and children. We had a lot of fun in here and we were able to head around it with our two year old. There was even a ball pit, always a hit with kids!

We didn’t use the cafe so I can’t comment on the prices but I loved that there was plenty of seating and comfy chairs so this would be a great place to relax and leave your kids to run wild. We didn’t actually sit down because we were too busy making the most of playing together!

Just around the corner from the main room there is a section for parties and shows. Every 30 minutes when we were there would involve some form of party. There was Gruffalo’s dance party and even Zog’s 15th birthday party. Despite never having heard of Zog in my life, we enjoyed ourselves taking part!

Finally, let’s talk about character meets. Of course I didn’t have high hopes for how our 2 year old would react to these since Disneyland Paris didn’t go so well. Luckily the characters come out every 30 minutes, the queues are short and it’s all included in your ticket price. We met Zog only, waved at Gruffalo second and even saw Stick Man before we left! I believe we chose the perfect slot getting here at 10.30am as Stick Man came out at 12 and we just had time to wave goodbye before we left.

There is an adorable gift shop at the end which i’m sure kids could easily spend all their pocket money in. Thankfully we were able to leave without burning a hole in our pocket!

Overall, we had a great time! Initially surprised and disappointed this was turned into glee and appreciation. I loved the decor and found the whole place so visually pleasing. There was plenty to do with our 2 year old and the entrance price for her and us was reasonable. However, I’m aware that once she turns 3 the entry fee jumps up significantly. Being honest, I’m not sure it’s worth the higher cost. I also wouldn’t be overly bothered to return here. I think once you’ve been here once you’ve seen it but I imagine if you have an annual pass and live local it is a great place to entertain the family.

I need to add that we have never actually read the Gruffalo or seen the movies! We have Super Worm, Room on the broom, The Smeds and the Smoos and Hide-and-Seek Pig. The latter has been one of our daughters favourites since she was a baby! Thank you Julia Donalson for making such wonderful children’s stories! My point is that you don’t need to know the stories to appreciate this experience. It’s wonderfully creative.

Would we recommend this place? Absolutely! Would we return? Probably not for a while! What do you think of The Gruffalo and friends?

Website: https://www.gruffaloclubhouse.com/blackpool/
Location: Centre of Blackpool on the main promenade
Entrance Fee: (Prices correct in July 2025) – Adults (15+) £4.50 – Children (3-14) £12 – Toddlers (1-2) £4.50 – Under 1s go free
Verdict: Visually pleasing with plenty to do for children but a little overpriced if you are expecting more than a glorified soft play experience.
Tripadvisor: The Gruffalo & Friends Clubhouse