'Hidden gem' play barn forced to close during pandemic finally reopens - and is a huge hit
A 'hidden gem' play barn that was forced to close during the pandemic has reopened – and parents can't get enough of it.
The Little Brown Mouse cafe in Cannock is run by husband and wife duo Stephanie and Gareth Curran and offers a one-of-a-kind experience for parents.
The small venue features a play area, exploration area, and garden, with a quaint cafe area for parents to enjoy a drink and bite to eat.
The cafe, which is now based on North Street, was first opened by the couple at the start of 2020, just before the pandemic hit.
Stephanie, who has worked in the catering and hospitality industry for 20 years, said the couple were 'lucky', despite losing their original property.
The 37-year-old said: "We started the entire business just before the Covid pandemic hit. We actually lost the property, and we had to pull out. We thought we would lose everything.
"But we were lucky, and we managed to find a new property and start new."
Their stroke of luck was all thanks to their daughters.
"Our girls were doing a paper round for a local shop, and they were fond of the job they got themselves," Stephanie added. "We got close to the man who runs the shop, and he knew the person in the property that our cafe is now in was vacating. He passed our number on, and we set up shop here.
"Gareth has been a nursery practitioner for 20 years, so we put our two specialities together. It is absolutely lovely – a wonderful environment to watch and see the children playing and happy parents. It makes our job very nice."
Parents have shared their love for the venue which has a 4.9/5 stars on Google – one parent wrote it was a "fantastic place to take your children" and that the play cafe was the "best in the area for under 5s soft play".
Another read: "This is my absolute favourite place to take my 14 month old son. Steph and Gaz are so friendly and helpful. The food and coffees are so nice and great value for money."
Despite the cafe being a fond favourite of families, Stephanie said 'like most businesses' they have their down days, but she wouldn't change a thing.
"We are so grateful to the families who visit and support us.
"Like most hospitality businesses, it is up and down and can be a little unpredictable - but we wouldn't change it for the world."
Slots last for 90 minutes and cost £2.50. More information can be found at littlebrownmouse.uk/
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