By Robert Mitchell

Copyright dailyrecord

A new role-play experience is popping up in community venues across Lanarkshire this month bringing pint-sized professions and plenty of pretend fun to pre-schoolers and their families. Pretend Town is a mobile play concept featuring ten themed pods – including a supermarket, space centre, car garage, post office, and hair salon – designed to spark imaginations through open-ended, child-led play. Each pod includes colourful backdrops, props, and costumes to inspire creativity and offer a picture-perfect day out for little ones. Founded by local mum-of-three Megan Brawley, the sessions cater to a mix of age groups, encouraging children to explore through imaginative play while inviting grown-ups to get involved too. After spotting similar role-play models in other cities, Megan realised that Glasgow and surrounding areas lacked a mobile version and decided to create one herself. The pop-up format allows her to rotate between venues throughout the week, avoiding the costs of a permanent premises. Megan, currently on maternity leave from her role as a business analyst, said: “Pretend Town came from my own experience as a parent – trying to find something that worked for all three of my kids, who are four, two, and six months. I tried soft plays, baby groups, toddler groups – but nothing really worked for us as a family. I wanted to create something that let children of different ages play together in the same space, with the grown-ups joining in too. That kind of play is so important – not just for their development, but for building memories. “My kids love dressing up and pretending to be doctors or astronauts or shopkeepers. You can see their imaginations light up when they step into a new role, and that’s really special to watch. Pretend Town is about giving other families the chance to experience that joy and creativity – and hopefully make some brilliant memories along the way.” To bring her idea to life, Megan secured a £20,000 loan from Virgin StartUp through the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme, which helped her purchase high-quality props, develop the backdrops, and buy a van to transport the full setup between venues. While Megan plans to return to her analyst role initially, her long-term goal is to make Pretend Town her full-time focus. Her husband, Eddie Harbinson, who runs the Lanarkshire arm of Little Kickers – a nationwide brand of kids football training clubs – will support her with venue setup and logistics. Eventually, Megan hopes to run Pretend Town as a franchise, giving other parents the chance to run their own local pop-up with the flexibility to fit around family life. Since its inception in 2012, the Start Up Loans programme has provided £10.4 million across 1,122 loans in Glasgow. Barry McCulloch, Senior Manager, UK Network, Scotland at the British Business Bank, said: “Megan’s story is a brilliant example of spotting a gap in the market and turning personal experience into a business with great potential. Pretend Town is imaginative, inclusive, and packed with fun – we’re proud the Start Up Loans programme could play a part in helping it get off the ground.” Diana Greenhalgh, Operations Lead at Virgin StartUp, said: “It’s been fantastic to watch Pretend Town go from an idea discussed with one of our business advisors, through to a fully-fledged business at the heart of the community. It just goes to show how with the right funding and the right advice, business ideas can quickly come to life and flourish. We’ve been delighted to be part of Megan’s journey.” Sessions will run at Rutherglen URC Church, St John’s Parish Church in Hamilton and Glebe Street Community Hall in East Kilbride, with two time slots available each day. Prices start from £7.50 per child, with up to 25 spaces per session. Weekend party bookings are also available for birthdays and special occasions. Go to https://pretendtown.co.uk/locations/ Don’t miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here . And did yo u know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook? Head over to our page to give us a like and share .