In this week's Reader Rant opinion column a mum delivers her verdict on the Buzz Zone play area in Orpington. Have your say by adding your comments below.

I am hoping an article in the News Shopper might make the management of Buzz Zone Oprington pull up their socks.

Public leisure facities at The Walnuts leisure centre were removed to make space for this fun-packed children's soft play area, which I am a supporter of.

But I feel they are exploiting parents and members by expecting us to pay the full rate for entry when they constantly fail to keep the place properly stocked, fixed, managed and clean, despite lots of feedback from parents.

Currently the top level of the climbing structure, where older kids like to shoot balls around, has been useless for months, as they have failed to reorder foam balls.

The ball pits down below have barely one layer of plastic balls in them, so that kids cannot safely and effectively dive in like they used to.

The much advertised driving zone hasn't got a single working car in it now!

The couple of giant balls that roll around in the structrure, the wall-climbing timer and other game-related items are long gone and not replaced.

Generally after school the long drop slide is still not open for older kids to use.

Even if you turn up 30 minutes after opening grime clings to your socks from the floor and ball pits, and you have to self-extract the dangerous plastic balls that have been squashed and ignored in the pits.

If you ask staff to get some balls or watch the slides more closely when kids are misbehaving they are most likely to tell you it's not part of their job.

I was most pleased to see the trampoline and swinging ball rides fixed after months of being broken.

However, I suspect that having one tiny trampoiline for hundreds of kids to share is a rather poorly considered plan!

Surely if one plans to run a soft play area such as this, one should factor in the pre-ordering of perishable items in the structure, and have in place a contract and contacts to quickly fix and replace any broken parts, and to man the structure effectively.

According to Steve Price, who operates the leisure trust for Bromley, the investment in Buzz was supposed to "highlight the council and Bromley Mytime’s commitment to improving and enhancing the sports, arts and play facilities and services available to the people of Bromley".

Well, I would love to see this commitment followed through properly and to see this place live up to expectations, as it is a much needed and well-located facility for young children in the Orpington area, and also provides a valuable venue for mums to get out of the house and socialise just a bit.

This column is produced by an independent writer and in no way reflects the official position of News Shopper or its parent company.

What do you think? Have you used this play facility in Orpington? If so, what are your experiences of it? Are there enough places for parents to take kids where you live? Add your comments below.

Check News Shopper's website every lunchtime for a new daily opinion column. Thursday will cover a moral issue. Friday is a sport rant. Monday is back to the Shopper Rant on a topical news story. Tuesday is entertainment day. Be sure to have your say if you agree or disagree with what you read.

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