55 jobs being created at children’s play centres in Belfast and Ballynahinch

TWO new leisure facilities in Belfast and Ballynahinch will create more than 50 jobs with a combined investment of £1.25m.

Up to 20 posts have been created by Global Adventure Play Ltd in Co Down, while Air-tastic is recruiting 35 employees for its new 20,000 sq ft indoor trampoline park in west Belfast, which will open next month.

The venue in Westwood Shopping Centre, Kennedy Way, will be Air-tastic’s fourth in Ireland.

It originally launched in Bangor in December 2016, followed by a park in Cork in October 2017.

Its latest centre opened in Craigavon at the start of October.

The new Belfast park will feature a series of fun zones and activities including a large quantity of interconnected trampolines, slide tower, giant airbag, gladiator beams, foam pits, hang tough rings and ball zones for games of dodge ball, basketball and aeroball.

Air-tastic is owned and operated by the same firm behind

Having a ball: Global Adventure

Funky Monkeys soft play centres.

Meanwhile, a £500,000 investment in Ballynahinch by Global Adventure Play has transformed the former Pinewick furniture unit on Magheraknock Road into a new 10,000 sq ft children’s play centre.

The venture has been launched by husband and wife team Stephen and Lisa Kearney, together with Margaret Kearney and husband Brian Bailey.

They come from a background in nursery day care centres in Ards and Carryduff.