Craftea Cafe
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Leeds
What it’s like
A pallet-built castle and curtain dens for imaginative play, tucked upstairs above a café that does birthday parties too.
The draw here is the set built out of an old bed frame and pallet walls, a proper castle for kids to disappear into, plus curtain enclosures for whatever role-play they fancy that day. There's a stage area too, and craft packs if you want a sit-down activity rather than climbing about. It's all indoor, all imaginative play rather than big equipment, so it suits kids who like making up their own games more than chasing down a slide.
The opening hours are the thing to plan around. Sessions are short, mostly 90 minutes to two and a half hours, split across the day with gaps in between, and Tuesday's shut altogether. Friday's the most generous day with three separate slots. Turn up at the wrong time and you'll find the door shut.
It's on the second floor with eight steps and no step-free access at the moment, which is a real faff if you've got a buggy or a wheelchair to get up there, though a service lift exists and there's talk of moving to the ground floor eventually. Parking's easy though, free on-street on Penraevone Avenue, and the 232 bus stops nearby if you're coming without a car.
Birthday parties run here too, £60 for up to 15 children over two hours with catering included, or £75 if you want the hot buffet. They want a £50 deposit a month before, and Saturday and Sunday afternoons after 2pm are off the table for parties, so weekday or morning slots are your best bet for booking one.
Facilities
Need to know
- Parking
- Free on-street parking available on Penraevone Avenue
- Wheelchairs
- Service lift available but not fully wheelchair accessible in standard public sense
- Getting there by bus or train
- Arriva Yorkshire 232 bus stops nearby
- Parties
- £60 basic party (up to 15 children, 2 hours, includes catering), £75 hot buffet option
- Tuesday is closed all day, easy to forget when planning a week's outings
- Friday has the most session options, with three separate windows across the day
- There's a baby change facility on site
- Saturday and Sunday after 2pm aren't bookable for parties, so go earlier in the day
Plan your visit
What do kids actually do there?
Mostly imaginative play, in a castle built from an old bed frame and pallets, plus curtain dens and a stage area. There are craft packs too if you want something more sit-down.
What are the opening hours?
They vary a lot by day. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday it's 9:30 to midday, Friday has three separate slots, and Saturday and Sunday run 9:30 to 11 and 12 to 1:30. Tuesday it's closed.
Is there step-free access?
Not currently. It's on the second floor with eight steps, though there's a service lift and a ground-floor move is apparently planned.
Is there parking nearby?
Free on-street parking on Penraevone Avenue, and the 232 bus stops close by if you're not driving.
Can we book a birthday party?
Yes, £60 gets you up to 15 children for two hours with catering, or £75 for a hot buffet option. They ask for a £50 deposit a month ahead, and weekend afternoons after 2pm aren't available for parties.
Is there a café on site?
It's a proper café alongside the play area, so there's somewhere to sit with a drink while the kids are in the castle or dens.
How long do people usually stay?
Given the sessions run 90 minutes to two and a half hours with gaps between them, most visits will naturally fit that window rather than an open-ended browse.
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