Southport BID feature by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
The brand new Inflata Nation attraction has opened in Southport!
The new 15,000 sq ft centre has seen an overwhelming response from families after launching at Ocean Plaza Leisure Park on Wednesday (28th October 2026), during a busy October Half Term.
Inflata Nation is situated inside the former Evans Cycles unit on the first floor above Everlast Gym.
Over 350 bookings have already been made within the first 24 hours.
Delighted children have been enjoying the firm’s 12th Inflata Nation facility to open in the UK.
It is owned by local couple Michelle and Matt Ball, who ran the Inflata Nation at Stanley High School in Southport during weekends before the Covid pandemic.
A total of 20 new jobs have been created, working under the direction of Manager Zack North.
Inflata Nation is the sister site of Footy Nation, which opened at Ocean Plaza Leisure in Southport earlier this year.
Michelle and Matt Ball said:
“We are overjoyed to have opened our new Inflata Nation right here in our home town in Southport!
“We have been searching for a permanent space in Southport for a long time and this is perfect.
“We’ve been thrilled by the excellent response from our first visitors, with plenty of positive feedback!
“Lots of families who have booked in for one session have loved it so much they have extended and booked on for follow-up sessions straight away.
“We have received over 350 bookings in just the first day of being open, which shows the huge desire among families for something new.
“It complements our existing Footy Nation attraction, which opened earlier this year, and has been a huge success. We continue to evolve our offer there, and will be unveiling a new e-gaming section there soon.
“Both venues are available for parties and for private bookings as well as general admission.
“We have incorporated slides, giant ball pits, a tipping slide, an under 4s area, and play areas.
“We have a cafe which sells hot and cold drinks, and will expand its offering as we listen to what our customers would like to see.”
The new venture is a dream come true for Michelle and Matt, who live in Southport and have two sons, aged 7 and 13 years old.
They said: “We opened our first ever Inflata Nation at Trafford Park in Manchester in 2017 and have grown and grown since then.
“Back then, we launched the concept for the UK’s first ever inflatable park. Other operators have copied our idea since, and we have continued to grow our own brand.
“We have wanted to open at Ocean Plaza Leisure for a long time. We originally looked at this site before Evans Cycles moved in, so we were pleased when it became available again.
“Since we left Stanley High School, so many families have been asking us when we’re coming back to Southport!
“Our intention has always been to open somewhere on our own doorstep, in our home town, which we love so much.
“Southport deserves its own permanent Inflata Nation!
“One thing which we are introducing here, which is an industry first, is an off-peak offer.
“Families can bring their children as many times as they like during the week, including after school, for just £14.99 across the whole month and can come along as many times as they like.
“We wanted to create an offer that was affordable for families; these are challenging times for many people.
“While our prime market is children who are of primary school age, we will also look to host sessions which are exclusively for teenagers or for adults.
“That seems to be a very popular idea among the parents we’ve spoken with so far!”
One-hour bounce sessions at Inflata Nation cost £6.99 for under-fours and £13.99 for everyone else.
For further details and to book, visit www.inflatanation.com/locations/southport
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