Wheal Play

27/01/2024

Following the announced closure of Heartlands Trust, as of the 31st January 2024 - it has been decided that SUNDAY 28TH of JANUARY will be the final operating day for the Red River Café, and Wheal Play.

We are recommending, as we are already anticipating to be busy with the Healing of Light festival, and lots of people wanting to visit on our final sessions, that you book slots in Wheal Play.

We are running a limited menu in the café, consisting of our Breakfast menu items.

Once again, we want to thank everyone for the support over the years, especially the past 3 weeks - it has been appreciated across the site by all staff.

Thank you,
Kelsey, The RRC Team and the Wheal Play Team.

05/01/2024

Statement from the Heartlands Trust and Cornwall Council

Despite the hard work and dedication over many years of the Heartlands Trust, the registered charity that runs Heartlands in Pool, and the staff there, it has become clear that Heartlands is unable to continue to cover its operating costs and facilities at the site will have to close.

Despite its popularity, recent economic conditions have meant that utility costs have considerably increased, and income from operations has decreased.

All of the funding options currently available have now been exhausted and Cornwall Council is not in a position to be able to step in and provide ongoing financial support for the current operation.

It is currently envisaged that the Café, Soft Play, and the Conference Centre and meeting rooms will close at the end of January. The Trust of course commits to refunding any deposits paid, or tickets bought, for future events that are cancelled.

The Trust is keen that the site can continue to serve the local community; an objective that is shared with Cornwall Council, who own the Heartlands site and lease it to the Trust.

The Council will maintain public access to the park and gardens, and the Registration Service and commercially let shops and offices will remain open.

The Trust are proud of all that has been achieved at Heartlands in making it the much-loved and popular free community facility that it is today.

Heartlands was a major project funded by the National Lottery and intended to improve life and opportunity for the local community by providing access to playground, green space, leisure, educational, heritage and community group meeting facilities. It was also seen as a catalyst for encouraging better standards of new housing development in the vicinity, rather than industrial warehousing.

In the twelve years since it has opened, the Heartlands Trust has been extremely successful in achieving all of those objectives. Recent market research revealed that a considerable proportion of local families use both the indoor and outdoor spaces. 360,000 visitors annually use Heartlands. Well over 10,000 attend annual Bonfire Night: over 2000 attend the annual Christmas markets: the Geekfest three day event attracts over 8,000. Heartlands hosts the largest free playground in Cornwall. Local primary schools have used Heartlands as an educational resource, for children to learn about social history and their local heritage. There is a popular children’s nursery on site. Surrounding new housing developments have been quality designed; and a local gardening group uses space to create a community allotment. The emerging Local Plan recognises the central role that Heartlands plays in binding the local community together.

Throughout its life, the priority at Heartlands has always been the community. Heartlands had never seen itself as a commercial operation: but finance has always been precarious. Budget over-runs on the original build project meant vital units intended to provide rental streams were never built: and intended developer contributions for playground maintenance were never received.

While deeply upsetting for the Trust and its staff, we all remain fully committed to the interests of our community and to a transparent approach to keeping you all informed . We will offer our full support to all the staff involved.

05/01/2024

Due to unforseen circumstances, today (05/01/2024), Red River Café will open at 12pm & Wheal Play will open at 1pm.

Sorry for any inconvenience.

05/12/2023

☃️ XMAS DEAL🎅

For the rest of December, we're offering 50% off all standard Wheal Play online bookings!

Simply enter the code 'XMAS23' during checkout.

Merry Christmas!

18/10/2023

🎃👻 Get ready for a spook-tacular Halloween at Heartlands! 🍬🕷️

🎃 Join us for our thrilling Wheal Play Halloween Sessions, where your little ones can enjoy a frightfully fun time with face painting and scary music! 🧙‍♂️🕯️ Pre-booking advised, spaces are limited

👻 Explore our eerie Halloween activity pack and trail, perfect for families looking for a ghoulish adventure. 🎃 Unravel the mysteries and surprises hidden around every corner! 🕸️🎃 Pick up your pack in Wheal Play or the Red River Cafe, just £1 per child

🎭 The renowned Squashbox theatre is back with their spellbinding Halloween show Shivers and Shadows, promising an enchanting experience for all ages! 🎭 Prepare to be mesmerized by their captivating performance!

🍽️👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Don't forget, kids eat free in the Red River Cafe with the purchase of a adult meal! 🍔🍟 Treat your little monsters to a delicious meal after a day filled with spooky fun! 😋 See full T&C's for details

📅 Mark your calendars for these thrilling activities and create unforgettable Halloween memories with us at Heartlands! 🌟🌕

Wheal Play is brewing up some spine-tingling sessions this spooky season! This half-term, your child can unlock the gates to Wheal Play’s eerie realm, savor a sinister hotdog, sip on […]

11/10/2023

🎃👻 Get Ready for Spooky Fun at our Halloween Play Sessions! 👻

🗓 Date: Wednesday 25th October 🕒 Time: 4pm-6pm
🗓 Date: Saturday 28th October 🕒 Time: 4:30pm-6:30pm

Ticket includes:
👭Entry for up to two grown-ups at no additional cost
🎶 Halloween Music
🧙‍♀️Optional Fancy Dress
🎨 Halloween Face Painting
🌭 Hot Dogs for the Kids and their Grown-Ups
🥤 Unlimited Free Squash for the Little Ones
☕ Unlimited Hot Drinks for the Grown-Ups
🍭 A Bag of Sweeties to Take Home

💲 Cost: £15 per child

It's Halloween playtime that's perfect for the whole family. 🕷️🧟‍♂️

Space is limited, so be sure to book your spot before they vanish into thin air. It's going to be a scream! 👻 ➡https://www.heartlandscornwall.com/event/wheal-play-halloween-sessions/

See you there for a wickedly fun Halloween experience! 🎃👻🕷️

10/10/2023

We are closed Friday 13th October for maintenance, sorry for any inconvenience

22/08/2023

Wheal Play will be closed Saturday, Sunday & Monday for GeekFest its a family fun event, we hope to see you there ☀️

10/07/2023

We've had to close for the day. Sorry for any inconvenience!

10-07-23

05/05/2023

We will be closing our doors tomorrow to give our staff the opportunity to watch the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla.

But don't worry, we'll be back on Sunday! 😊

13/02/2023

We have two exclusive parties this Saturday at 9-11 & 2-4 (11:30-1:30 is still available)

If you still need something to do with the kids? Squashbox Theatre is on at 2pm.

Telling stories of the universe using a blend of puppetry, storytelling, live music and comedy, all contained within an accessible, funny and unique family show.

Follow the link for more information - heartlandscornwall.com/squashbox-theatre-journey-to-the-stars/

11/01/2023

Did you know you can book parties online?!

Did you know you can also exclusively hire the entire soft play area?!

Check out our website: whealplay.co.uk for more information on how we can put on the perfect kid's party