A ROLE-PLAY centre for children is set to open in Basingstoke taking over a unit which has been empty for more than three years.

TotCity has announced that it is opening one of its role play centres in Winchester Street, at the Top of Town, in the upstairs of a building previously used by Lloyds Bank.

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The bank closed its Basingstoke branch in Winchester Street in March 2018, and the building has been vacant since.

TotCity, which has centres in four other areas including Winchester and Andover, offers families a play café with a scaled-down street to inspire young children to explore and pretend.

The Basingstoke branch will feature at least nine role-play areas equipped with child-sized resources and dressing-up outfits.

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Youngsters visiting can pretend to make an ice-cream sundae in the café, repair a broken wing mirror in the garage, or do the weekly shop in the supermarket.

TotCity has not yet announced an opening date for the Basingstoke centre, but said it is “opening soon”. 

It has also submitted a planning application to the borough council to install an external fire escape at the premises. 

Photographs shared by TotCity of the Basingstoke branch under construction show it will include a hospital, post office, construction site with sit-on diggers, and a garage.

An hour-and-a-half session costs £6.50 per child, which includes one visiting adult. Additional adult tickets cost £2.50. Entry for babies is also £2.50.

For more information visit totcity.co.uk.