Last spaces left for Street SEND supper club

By Laura Linham 6th Jul 2026

Local News by Laura Linham 1 hour ago

Street's SEND supper club still has a few spaces left for tomorrow, offering families a chance to eat out without the usual stress.

The Loft's dedicated supper night is for parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities. It is built around a simple idea: families should be able to go out for food without spending the whole evening braced for stares, stress or apologies.

For many families, eating out is straightforward. You book, turn up, order, negotiate pudding, and go home.

For many SEND families, it can feel like a military operation before anyone has even found their shoes. There are worries about noise, waiting times, unfamiliar food, meltdowns, other diners, and whether someone will give the look families know all too well.

The Loft is trying to take that pressure off the table. For the SEND supper night, the venue is closed to other guests, giving families a space where the room is already on their side.

There is soft play for younger children, a quiet area for anyone who needs a breather, and older children are welcome to bring tablets, phones or sensory devices that help them settle. The point is not perfect restaurant behaviour, but being able to eat together.

A specially adapted children's menu offers a two-course meal, with a main and ice cream, for £5. Adults can order from the main menu, and families can pre-order food so it is ready when they arrive.

That last part matters. For families dealing with anxiety around waiting, delays or unfamiliar routines, having food ready on arrival is not a nice extra; it can be the difference between a good night and a night that never really gets going.

The Loft owner Mark Tobin said: "We know that for many families with SEN children, eating out just isn't an option — whether it's fear of judgment, meltdowns over unfamiliar food, or the pressure of sitting still. This evening is different.

"It's just SEND families. Tablets are fine. Stimming is welcome. Noise is OK. And nobody has to apologise for being themselves."

That is why the nights have landed so strongly with families. They are not describing somewhere that merely tolerates them, but somewhere that gets it.

Mark said parents have told him the event has "changed our lives and made us more confident to go out as a family for the first time". Another family said their child "looks forward to coming and is the only time he ever feels happy around other families".

One parent said they had finally been able to enjoy "a family meal together without feeling eyes watching and judging us". Another described the supper club as "a game-changer", saying it was the first time their family had managed to go out together to a real restaurant and properly enjoy it.

Another parent said: "We've found it a lifeline, a chance to feel like a 'normal' family, able to go out and enjoy a yummy meal."

That is the heart of it. Not a gimmick, not a special treat, and not a big performance of inclusion — just a room where families can eat, move, play, reset and exist without feeling they are causing a problem.

There are still a few spaces left for tomorrow's SEND supper club at The Loft in Street. Bookings can be made directly with Mark by emailing [email protected].