About Hobbledown Epsom | Our Story

Bringing Back the Joy of Real Childhood

Charlie and I hope Hobbledown becomes your families place - somewhere children can run, climb, explore, and lose themselves in play that doesn’t feel like exercise, but quietly is. In a world where screens compete for attention more than ever, we believe children need space to switch off, get muddy, take risks, and use their imagination. A scraped knee or a bumped head? We see those as small badges of honour in a life of adventurous play.

We feel incredibly grateful to have grown up in the 70s, when that kind of freedom was simply part of everyday life. Hobbledown is our small way of trying to bring a bit of that adventure back - a place where childhood can still feel wild, active, and full of possibility.

We also obsess over how Hobbledown looks and feels, because we know great play starts with great environments. Every tower, tunnel, and pathway is designed to feel like it’s been discovered rather than built - full of texture, character, and small details that reward curiosity. We use natural materials, layered landscapes, and storytelling in the design so it doesn’t feel like a typical play area, but a world waiting to be explored.

Just as importantly, we design it for grown-ups too. We want parents to feel that same spark - the urge to climb a little higher, peer through a doorway, or see what’s hidden around the next corner. Because when adults are drawn in, something shifts: play becomes shared, not supervised. And those are the moments families tend to remember.

Charlie & Nick