News & Star Tuesday, June 2, 2009 23www.newsandstar.co.uk 55
Birthday parties that
don't break the bank
A
generation ago kid's
birthday parties were
fun-filled but modest
affairs, featuring games
like pass the parcel followed by
jelly, ice cream and cake.
Over the years, as our
consumer society has hurtled to
new levels, many parents don't
feel their child's big day will be
complete without extravagant
themes or expensive days out.
According to a recent report
mums and dads are feeling under
increasing pressure to splash out
on their kid's birthday party, even
in these credit crunch times, with
some spending thousands of
pounds to create a once in a
lifetime experience.
Popular � and pricey � options
include a High School Musical-
themed party, complete with
cheerleaders and karaoke, at a
cost of around �20,000. One
London-based organiser,
Quintessentially Events, said it
was asked to plan a 16th birthday
party recently with a �500,000
budget.
But what is the situation like in
Cumbria?
According to those in the know,
parents in this part of the world
haven't lost all sense of reality. It
seems that while parents want to
give their young children a party
to remember, they are doing so
without breaking the bank.
Gilly Dobson runs Party Fun in
Carlisle, a company that
organises kid's parties and
provides everything from
children's entertainers to themed
party kits.
Gilly says: "Business has stayed
Rosalind Gibb finds parents
are celebrating on a budget
Having a ball: A children's party at Magic Castle in Denton Holme, Carlisle JONATHAN BECKER>> TURN TO PAGE 6

Page 1Page 2Page 3Page 4Page 5Page 6Page 7Page 8Page 9Page 10Page 11Page 12 Produced by PageSuite