A small, family-run business in Castleblayney has decided to shut its door due to rising costs.
The Hidden Village Role Play Centre in Castleblayney opened 18 months ago, offering a unique role play centre where children can explore, imagine, and learn through play.
In August proprietor Aoife Watters decided to make the difficult decision and close the doors but due to the volume of support she decided not to close. Aoife said things had slipped back over the past few months with the numbers using the unique play space and she had to make the very difficult decision.
She said despite all the behind the scenes work, the constant advertising, the planning, the creating, the organising, the late nights and early mornings, it's just not improving in a way that allows us to survive long term.
In an online post announcing the closure, she said the place was never just a business, it was a community and it was friendships along with laughter, tears and memories. The final day of trading will be Saturday 21st March.
Aoife says all she ever wanted was to be able to spread a bit of magic and fun for local children and she says it's a service that's very much needed in the locality. She says there needs to be more supports from the Government to help small businesses like hers from going under.
