GetSoftPlay

Opening a soft play in Ghent

Competitive — you must stand out

GetSoftPlay combines local demand with live competition data and connects you with a vetted manufacturer. Here is what the numbers say about Ghent.

Quick answer: Ghent is a metro of about 0.3M people with an estimated 49,300 children in the central catchment and 15 indoor play venues nearby — roughly 3,287 children per venue versus a benchmark near 8,000. That makes it a competitive market that needs a clearly better offer. Equipment for a 150 m² venue runs about €30,000–€69,000, and the catchment could support roughly €115,000 in annual revenue.
49,300
children in catchment
15
play venues nearby
3,287
children per venue
0.41×
demand gap

Is there demand for soft play in Ghent?

Ghent is a metro of about 0.3M people, with an estimated 49,300 children (16,240 under 5) in the central catchment, served by 15 venues — 3,287 per venue. Against a benchmark of 8,000, Ghent scores a 0.41× demand gap, making it a competitive market that needs a clearly better offer.

How much does it cost to open in Ghent?

Equipment and installation run about €200€460 per m². A typical 150 m² venue is roughly €30,000€69,000 in equipment; your total opening budget is usually 1.7–2.5× that once fit-out, rent and licensing are added. You typically need local business registration, building-use approval and fire-safety sign-off; equipment must meet EN 1176. Use our cost calculator or equipment package builder for an exact figure.

How many soft play venues are in Ghent?

There are 15 venues within 5 km of central Ghent, averaging 4.4★ across 5,577 reviews (Google Places, 2026-08-23). The highest-rated is Happy Kidzz at 4.9★.

  • Happy Kidzz
  • Pretland/Ballorig Gent
  • Gamestate Gent
  • SUPER indoor playground
  • Kids Adventure
  • Binnenspeeltuin Speelmijntje Lochristi | Gent
  • Zero Latency Gent
  • Speelz

Common questions

Is there demand for soft play in Ghent?

Ghent has an estimated 49,300 children in the central catchment served by 15 indoor play venues — about 3,287 per venue, a gap ratio of 0.41× versus the benchmark, making it a competitive market that needs a clearly better offer.

How much does it cost to open a soft play in Ghent?

Equipment and installation run about €200–€460 per m². A 150 m² venue is roughly €30,000–€69,000 in equipment; total opening budget is usually 1.7–2.5× that once fit-out, rent and licensing are added.

How many soft play venues are in Ghent?

There are 15 indoor play and family entertainment venues within 5 km of central Ghent, averaging 4.4★ (Google Places, 2026-08-23). The top-rated is Happy Kidzz (4.9★).

What approvals are needed in Ghent?

You typically need local business registration, building-use approval and fire-safety sign-off; equipment must meet EN 1176.

How much can a soft play in Ghent earn?

On a conservative catchment model with an average spend of €13 per visit, the Ghent catchment could support roughly €115,000 in annual revenue. This is a planning estimate, not a forecast.

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Sources: population National statistics / metro estimates; venues Google Places (2026-08-23). Children counts estimated from catchment shares. Revenue is a planning estimate, not a forecast.