Play like an Egyptian!
12:01pm Wednesday 18th October 2006 in News By Gordon McCully
Two Chorley brothers have sunk virtually their life's savings into an ambitious new leisure project that is claimed to be the only one of its kind in the North West.
Mark and Richard Lawrenson are launching their Pharaoh's family entertainment centre in Adlington on Monday.
Costing around £350,000, raised from their savings and business loans, the Egyptian-themed children's play centre has already created more than 20 new jobs.
Equipment and construction material have been imported from Canada.
Paramedic Mark and brother Richard, a former structural engineer with AMEC, who gave up his job to concentrate on the project, say it is unique to the region in that it is the only one that is "completely themed from top to bottom".
Finishing touches were being applied this week to the huge site, next to the TVC car showroom on the A6, which can take up to 120 children and will be open into the mid evenings.
When completed it will provide fun and learning activities for youngsters aged up to 10 which the brothers say will better rival play centres for miles around.
Mark, of Berkley Close, said: "It is something we have been after doing for a couple of years.
"We got the idea from taking kids to other centres, that's where we first started taking an interest, then we started with an interest in education and health.
"We have put a substantial amount of money into it. I would say we are looking at a rough cost of £350,000 just to get it off the ground."
Mark said children would be able to enjoy fun and exercise and get a get a healthy meal too.
"We've got a full working restaurant and kitchen with meals freshly cooked using fresh produce.
"We've just taken on twenty part-time, casual staff and two full time staff, one being a chef."
Pharaoh's has slides, soft ball shooting alleys, a 20ft long climbing wall, three party rooms and a disco room, for example.
"We both wanted to do something educational as well as stimulating for children and their families.
"A lot of people are interested in pharaohs and Egypt," said Mark.
