How to Start a Bouncy Castle Hire Business in the UK – The Ultimate 2025 Guide
Have you ever thought about starting your own bouncy castle hire business? Whether you're looking to earn extra income, become your own boss, or build a full-time inflatable hire company, this guide will walk you through every step of how to start a successful, safe, and profitable bouncy castle hire business in 2025 and beyond.
With relatively low startup costs, flexible hours, and high demand for party entertainment, it’s no wonder the inflatable rental industry continues to grow. Let’s dive in!
We also have a full 70 page startup guide which can be listed here: https://www.better-bounce.co.uk/category/new-for-2024/4356/bb-1130-free-70-page-startup-guide-email-copy#BodyContent
Step 1: Research the Bouncy Castle Market
Before you invest a single penny, market research is essential.
Understand Local Demand
Use tools like Google Trends, Facebook groups, and local event pages to see how many people are hiring inflatables in your area. Search for terms like:
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“bouncy castle hire near me”
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“inflatable hire [your town/city]”
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“soft play hire”
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“inflatable slide rental”
These will give you an idea of what’s trending, and where the gaps in the market may be. You can then sue this to work out which inflatables you need to start your bouncy castle business and succeed.
Competitor Analysis
Look at:
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Local bouncy castle companies’ websites and pricing
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Their reviews and what customers like or dislike
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The range of inflatables they offer
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Whether they offer party packages, indoor hire, or seasonal discounts
Look for ways to differentiate yourself. Can you specialise in themed castles? Offer wedding inflatables or corporate team building items? There’s huge variety if you think creatively.
Step 2: Create a Solid Business Plan
A detailed business plan is your roadmap.
Key Sections:
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Business Name & Branding: Make it catchy, memorable, and fun!
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Startup Costs: Inflatables, blowers, mats, insurance, website, marketing, van
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Financial Forecasts: Estimate income vs expenses
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Target Customers: Families? Schools? Event planners?
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Marketing Strategy: Website, SEO, social media, Google Ads
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Growth Plan: How will you scale?
Step 3: Register Your Business & Get Insured
This isn’t just a fun business — it’s serious too.
Legal Structure:
Licences & Insurance:
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Get Public Liability Insurance (at least £5m is recommended)
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Consider Employer’s Liability if you hire staff
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Look at asset insurance for your castles and van
Safety Standards:
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All equipment must meet BS EN 14960 standards
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Test each inflatable annually — PIPA or RPII certification is a must and this can eb arranged by us at betterbounce. To see and understand our testing services (like a car MOT) follow the link below: Health & Safety
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Keep safety logs, risk assessments, and method statements on file. We have a large range of these we can help with too
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You’ll need to understand wind speed limits, anchoring methods, and weight capacities for every inflatable
Step 4: Buy Quality Equipment
Your castles are your income source so buy smart, Betterbounce are one of the leading manufactures of bouncy castles for sale in the UK and have been for 40 years. At Better Bounce, every inflatable goes through a rigorous proof of concept process—tested in-house or by trusted hirers for up to 2 years to ensure top performance. With nearly 40 years of experience, product redesigns are rare and it makes us the ideal choice for starting a bouncy castle business.
Artwork & Materials
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Printed using high-precision industrial machines (to 0.01mm).
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Inks are flexible, scratch-proof, and laminated for durability.
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Colour profiling ensures consistency across our range.
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We use top-tier, lab-formulated PVC: UV-stabilised, anti-fungal, tear-resistant, flame retardant (M1/M2, BS5438 & BS5867 compliant), EN71 and EN14960 ready.
Design & Production
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Designed using advanced CAD/CAM software.
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Precision cut using CNC machines for unmatched accuracy.
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Internals made from premium airbag-grade material—flexible, lightweight, and strong.
Safety Testing & Certification
All inflatables:
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Certified to EN14960 (European safety standard).
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Undergo a detailed 50-point inspection covering seams, anchor points, flame retardancy, blower tubes, structure stability, deflation zips, fall height, air pressure, and more.
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Subjected to extensive structural testing: seam strength, flame retardancy, stitch spacing, anchoring, zip function, fall protection, netting safety, and more making us the ideal choice for starting a bouncy castle business. .
Additional checks are done for:
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Enclosed structures: exit safety, lighting, pressure, evacuation.
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Slides: wall/runout height, netting, slide sheets.
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Blowers: mesh testing, PAT certification, plug safety.
Product Features
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Anchor Points: Stainless steel D-rings & 2" webbing exceed 163kn strength.
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Deflation Zips: Covered with Velcro for faster pack-down.
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Blower Tubes: Multilingual tags with blower specs.
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Stress Points: Quad-stitched and reinforced for longevity.
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Paperwork Included: 12-month test cert, 24-month warranty, flame cert, PAT cert, manuals, risk assessment & hire agreement (available in multiple languages).
What You’ll Need to start your ow bouncy castle company:
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Commercial-grade bouncy castles (not toys!) Follow tis link to read why toy castles are banned in the UK when starting your own bouncy castle hire company
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Inflatable slides, ball pools, obstacle courses
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Blowers, extension leads, safety mats, sandbags or stakes
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A van or trailer for transport
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Trolleys and ratchet straps
Where to Buy:
Top UK manufacturers include Betterbounce of course, Better Bounce Direct is one of the UK's leading manufacturers of high-quality play inflatables, bouncy castles, and play structures. The Betterbounce brand is officially the longest established inflatable manufacturing company in the UK. A trophy we are extremely proud of and one we hope to pass down to future generations for year to come.
The brand was established over 40 years ago. We have sold over 20,000 products to countries on every continent around the world, and we offer a famous 1,2,3 guarantee on all of our products. We use only the highest quality bouncy castle materials and work with a team of skilled professionals to design and manufacture our inflatables. We have a wide range of bouncy castles & Inflatables Games available, including Inflatable Obstacle courses, Gladiator duels, Its a knockout Inflatables, Fairground slides, Disco bouncy castles, Velcro bouncy castles, Event inflatables and much more, all of which are designed to be safe, durable, and fun for all ages and abilities.
Our staff have gained an enormous wealth of knowledge over the years and are some of the country’s top machinists. Our longest-standing staff members have worked for Better Bounce for over 20 years each, ensuring an unbeatable skill level in the inflatable industry that we are extremely proud of.
All of our weird and wonderful inflatables are manufactured under our full control, and we take full control of the design, manufacture, sales, and dispatch process within our huge 22,000 sq ft factory located in the heart of Leeds, West Yorkshire in the UK. We welcome customers to visit our factory for an informal chat and to see the production process for themselves.
Tip: Start with 2–3 quality inflatables and expand as you grow. Our velcro bouncy castle and startup packages are by far the best for this:
Velcro bouncy castles and why?:
The 11x15ft A frame castle is the classic icon of British inflatables and is the very foundation for any hire company operating in the UK. The 11x15ft castle is the perfect size for almost all back gardens and is suitable for indoor use.
The 11x15's are by far the most popular and are the right choice for anyone who is just starting out. We have a factory dedicated to the sole making of the 11x15ft so discounts are available on multiple purchases.
This castle can be made in a range of colours with a range of art work and we also have stock that is readily available should anybody need something urgently. This castle will last a long time if looked after and maintained correctly. This type of castle will fit in most gardens and the majority of indoor venues and due to its manageable size and weight, its can be set up and packed away by a single person without the need of any help.
The Velcro artwork range is ideal for those wishing to expand there customers choice without expending your hire fleet. I trialed the Velcro artwork range for my indoor units last year and it was a roaring success. It meant that I could now offer the 50+ outdoor range of themed inflatables to the indoor market but keeping the same 5 castles I've always had.
The brilliantly profitable idea for very little expense and is something we will be continuing to expand over the next few months. Our Velcro range is ever expanding and our graphic illustrator is just waiting for new and up to date idea so please feel free to get in touch, we'd love to hear your ideas
The disco ready inflatable comes complete with speaker holding system and light holder pocked with easy access for cable management if required (Not supplied) The speaker pocket is located in a position that is well protected and hidden away from small fingers yet still bellows the sound out into the inflatable.
To lean more, simply follow the link to our startup pages below
Start Up Packages
Step 5: Set a Competitive Pricing Strategy
You’ll need to cover costs, stay competitive, and make profit.
Key Considerations:
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Compare local prices: £50–£120 per day is common for standard castles, however from experience, the £50 is not where you want to b at. This low price really does choke your business and prevents large enough profits to allow for quality maintenance, upgrades and of course a profit to allow you to be the best bouncy castle hirer you can be.
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Factor in delivery, fuel, cleaning, set-up time
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Offer discounts for weekday hires, school contracts or package deals (castle + soft play) if your planning on expanding but remember to only offer extras and free upgrades. This is win win and allows you to maximize your investment yet keep the client happy too. never ever discount your original prices.
Warning: Don’t undercut your competitors just to win business — you’ll start a race to the bottom and damage the whole industry. Compete on value, safety, and service.
Step 6: Build a Website That Works
You must have a strong digital presence to win in 2025.
Website Essentials:
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Mobile-friendly, fast-loading
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Clear booking system and prices
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Photos and videos of each inflatable
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Customer reviews and safety credentials
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SEO-optimized content with keywords like:
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“bouncy castle hire in [your area]”
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“inflatable slide rental UK”
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“soft play hire for toddlers”
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“wedding bouncy castle hire”
SEO Tips:
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Add blogs (like this one!) with helpful guides
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Use Google My Business
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Get backlinks from directories and local sites
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Target voice search terms like “Who hires bouncy castles near me?”
Step 7: Marketing & Getting Your First Customers
Social Media:
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Use Facebook Marketplace, Instagram, and TikTok
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Post event photos, run competitions, share 5-star reviews
Other Marketing Ideas:
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Google Ads for “bouncy castle hire [town name]”
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Distribute flyers to schools, nurseries, sports clubs
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Attend school fairs and summer fetes with a demo inflatable
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Partner with photographers, cake makers, party planners
Step 8: Provide Outstanding Customer Service
This business is built on trust and repeat bookings.
Tips:
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Be punctual and professional
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Provide setup and safety instructions
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Leave the place spotless and thank your customer
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Always follow up and ask for a review
Great service leads to word-of-mouth, your most powerful form of marketing!
Step 9: Grow Your Bouncy Castle Hire Empire
Expand With:
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More inflatables and themed options
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Soft play equipment, party packages, inflatable games
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Event planning services
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Corporate hire, school contracts, holiday parks
Keep Improving:
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Monitor your bookings, busiest months, and most popular inflatables
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Invest in better systems and staff as needed
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Stay up-to-date with regulations and trends
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
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Buying cheap, unsafe castles (they won’t last)
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Skipping insurance or testing (it’s illegal and dangerous)
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Overbooking and disappointing customers
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Ignoring your online presence — 90% of customers search online first
Final Thoughts
Starting a bouncy castle hire business is one of the best side hustles or full-time businesses you can launch in 2025. With the right equipment, knowledge, and customer care, you can build a thriving company that puts smiles on faces and pounds in your pocket. “It’s not just about inflatables — it’s about being part of someone’s special day.”
Want Help Starting Your Own Business?
We don’t just sell inflatables — we help build businesses. At Better Bounce, we offer:
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Expert advice
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Industry-leading inflatables
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Business startup support
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Guides, resources, and aftercare
🔗 Visit Our Website to Get Started
Bonus SEO Keywords (Include Naturally in Your Site):
The following key words are an absolute must for SEO and attracting the right clients for the right reasons. These search terms are googles number one drivers and will really work well when combined with your local towns and villages.
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Bouncy castle rental
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Children’s party inflatable hire
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Garden bouncy castle
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Birthday party bouncy castle
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Wedding bouncy castle hire
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Commercial inflatables UK
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Soft play hire business startup
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Cheap bouncy castle hire near me
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Safe inflatable hire
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Event inflatable setup service
70 Page startup guide Download
Please feel free to download the 70 pages guide by clicking the link below the picture.
You will be directed to the download on our website.
https://www.better-bounce.co.uk/category/new-for-2024/4356/bb-1130-free-70-page-startup-guide-email-copy#BodyContent
Enthusiastic about starting your hire company?
Why not schedule a call using our simple calendar app below?
Just an easy-going informal chat from one of the experienced owners at Betterbounce regarding setting up and starting out in the hire business.
We're absolutely terrible at sales calls, so don't worry, we won't be hounding you or anything : )
We have owned and operated one of the largest hire companies in the UK for over 20 years, and Betterbounce has been manufacturing inflatables in the UK for over 30 years, so there's very little we can't help you with, regardless of whether or not you choose to become a client.
Thanks again, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
https://calendly.com/ betterbounce/30min
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