Portobello's historic playgroup still toddling on after 80 years

Published on Wednesday 13 May 2009 09:57

IT WAS the year the Wall Street Crash led the world into the Great Depression, George V was still on the throne and James Ramsay MacDonald began his six-year term as British Prime Minister.

And, in Portobello, another little bit of history was being created – as what would become Britain's oldest playgroup first opened its doors.

Eighty years on, the Toddler Hut is still sheltering children from the doom and gloom of today's recession by continuing to provide care and fun for youngsters at its same Portobello base.

The Beach Lane playgroup was created by wealthy locals in 1929 and still remains a popular – and affordable – community asset.

Generations of residents have fond memories of their days at the playgroup on the promenade, with many even now sending their own children there.

The playgroup has been working with the Scottish Pre-School Play Association (SPPA) to discover a bit more about the group's roots as it celebrates its 80th anniversary.

Play leader Karen Wilson said: "As far as we know, it makes us the oldest child care facility in Britain. The SPPA hasn't been able to find anything that has been running longer than us.

"The information I have is that it was set up by the wealthy women of Portobello and Joppa who had whist drives to raise money to set it up.

"It's great that we have been able to keep it going for so many years, especially in this day and age when we have got so many private nurseries springing up. We have recently started opening in the afternoons three days a week to keep up with demand because the waiting list is so long.

"We don't do any advertising – it's all word of mouth. I have been here nine years and I have seen hundreds of children and there are so many old people living in Portobello who remember going to Toddler Hut when they were young."

Forty-one-year-old Anne Love, who went to the Toddler Hut when she was two, was delighted to discover it was still standing so she could give her daughter Zara, three, the same experiences she had when she was there.

Mrs Love, of Restalrig Avenue, said:

"I remember coming out of the Toddler Hut when I was wee and being amazed that the sea was right there. That really sticks in my head. I remember being really happy there – it was like being on holiday. I can't believe it's still here and has never closed. It's probably because of the community spirit in Portobello."