Stay & Play

If you’ve got a toddler and you’re based in Basildon, this place is worth knowing about. The staff actually seem to enjoy being there, which makes a difference when you’re wrestling a two-year-old through the door. It’s kept properly clean — not just surface-level tidy — and the food is decent enough that you won’t be counting down the minutes to leave. Parents can keep an eye on the kids easily, and there’s parking sorted too. A solid pick for birthday parties if you want somewhere that handles the chaos without making you feel like a burden.