ONE of Britain biggest children’s soft play centre is set to open on Basildon's Festival Leisure park as part of amove away from nightclubs and towards family-friendly facilities.

The 360 Play chain is taking over two floors of the former Liquid, Envy, New York New York, and JJ’s nightclub complex aspart the park’smultimillion- pound change of focus.

The 28,000 sq ft venue will be the firm’s biggest, with youngsters able to enjoy a four-tier play frame, dodgem car track, a carousel, and speciallydesigned climbing frame.

The centre, designed for children aged between twoand 12, will also have a creative play area featuring a minisupermarket, pizza parlour, vet’s, and fire station.

An outdoor area will feature a water slide and sandpit.

Work on the play centre is nowunder way and when it opens, will employ 50 people.

Managing director Duncan Phillips said: “As a successful family business we are all about the family and this is clearly reflected in the way we operate our venues and in their design.

“We are also delighted to be using local contractors for the build and are very proud of the fact this latest location will create jobs for the Basildon area.

“It will bring our unique formof children’s entertainment to yet another part of the UK.”

The former nightclub complex, operated by Luminar, was once the biggest of that firm’s sites in England.

It closed earlier this year to make way for the soft play centre, and two new restaurants.

Basildon-based GMW Construction is one of the businesses involved in the conversion work Geoffrey Scarborough, GMW’s managing director, said: “We were really lucky to be taken on board and we are havingagreat time. It is such a friendly team and real enjoyablework.”

Tony Webb, a self-employed painter from Southend, added: “Normally, I am painting flats or houses, so this project is a real breath of fresh air.

“Today I’m painting a make-believe fire station and pizza parlour.

“It’s really nice to be doing something different.”

Leading restaurant chains are moving in

THE Bella Italia restaurant chain will occupy one of two new units at Festival Leisure Park, along with another chain, Coast to Coast, which runs 12 American-themed restaurants nationwide.

The Liquid, Envy, New York New York and JJs nightclubs were all bulldozed in March.

The site former Sky Bar is also being revamped and turned into new £3million club called Unit 7, which will the only nightclub at the new-look Bas Vegas. Unit 7 is being developed by the Deltic Group, which has taken over Luminar.

It feature three separatemusic rooms, a roof terrace, private booths, table service, andanew, hi-tech modernart music and entertainment system.

Festival LeisurePark is also home toa12-screen cinema, including an Imax screen, a bowling complex, two hotels, two gyms, and several national restaurant chains.