Carluke play area The Bubbles Factory wins top award

Carluke man Martin Hannah shuffled nervously in his kilt at a table of fellow Scots in the plush Olympia Exhibition Centre in Kensington – but he had no need to worry.

For just seconds later Martin (50), owner of The Bubbles Factory in Carluke’s Hamilton Street, found out his business had won the Play Providers Association (PPA) competition to find the UK’s best new indoor soft play area and cafe.

The Bubbles Factory, the Hannahs’ £1.1 million purpose built centre, was opened in November 2010 after grant assistance of £550,370 from the Scottish Government’s £60 million Town Centre Regeneration Fund.

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Nineteen jobs have since been created at the Carluke town centre business.

Martin said: “Out of the £60 million in Scottish Government money made available, ours was the only privately-owned project. So it was risky for them to back us.

“But getting this award justifies the Scottish Government’s involvement in our original grant. The Bubbles Factory has been highly rated by the judges and our customers love it.

For more on this story pick up a copy of the Carluke Gazette, which is in the shops now.

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