Children's parties at indoor adventure play areas are a growth industry and one which is seeing more business coming its way is Jimmy G's in Saltaire.

Former tramsheds at Saltaire roundabout were turned into the north's biggest independent toy shop called Toy Store and adventure play frame area Jimmy G's in 1995.

The business was set up by the formerly Bradford-based Fine Art Developments which has since moved its headquarters to Burley-in-Wharfedale.

The other part of the business changed its name to Creative Publishing when it was demerged from Fine Art a few years ago. Not long afterwards, Creative Publishing was taken over by the American global cards group Hallmark.

The irony is that it is Hallmark which has helped push up attendance figures at Jimmy G's. Last Christmas the firm decided to hold its children's Christmas party there.

Owner Tony Clements said: "The firm decided where they wanted to go and booked us. They originally booked 150 places then kept ringing us to up to increase the numbers. At the end of the day we had 225 children here along with more than 60 adults and fed them all."

Jimmy G's, which averages 1,200 children a week, has also decided to open its doors to the community and tomorrow children from the Heaton Royd Special School in Shipley will be helping the business celebrate its fourth anniversary.

There have also been other community events like police carrying out equipment marking in the building. Tony Clements is keen to hear from community organisations which would like to use the building and large courtyard to promote their work.

The 10,000 sq ft building, where 30 people work, was built in 1904 as tram sheds. In the 1950s it was a depot for the well-known trolley buses then became a warehouse for a textile firm.

When Fine Art took it over, £1 million was invested in refurbishing the building and setting up the Toystore shop and Jimmy G's.

The business was originally started as part of Fine Art's educational arm Hope. Part of the Hope set-up, Hope Advenure Play, still services the equipment even though the business has been owned by Tony Clements since 1998.

Mr Clements was formerly the managing director of the home and leisure side of Debenhams and at one time worked for the Oxford Street toy store Hamleys.

He is currently wondering what the hot favourite will be for this Christmas. The current favourites are Wuvies, a relative of the popular Furbie, a new version of Thomas the Tank Engine which allows the other locomotives and Thomas to communicate with each other and a computerised version of Thunderbirds.

"Working out what will be the Christmas best seller is always difficult because you can decide, then in the summer somebody will come up with something out of the blue," he added.

For further information contact Tony Clements on Bradford (01274) 533848.

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