Family club is a haven for children and parents in St John's Wood

b_together is a members club over four floors; part nursery, part playroom, part cafe, where parents and kids can play, work, eat, and relax.

Entrepreneur and North West Londoner, Maggie Bolger, co-founded family members' clubs Maggie and Rose, after struggling to find appropriate childcare for her own four children.

Her latest venture, which opened two years ago, has a broader offering as a hub for pre-school, teens, adults, and the community.

Mum of four Maggie Bolger is behind family members club b_together in St John's Wood (Image: Azi)

Through hard-won experience she understands the activities and services that modern families need - especially those who may not have a vast network helping them to juggle work, life and children.

There's a peaceful top floor co-working space where parents can catch up on emals - or book a meeting room - while their child enjoys the downstairs playroom, full of exciting things to climb, construct and sit on.

A family club room allows families to spend time together in a stress free environment; next door there are studios for workshops and classes like the Make&Do creative sessions, and the Cook School; drop off sessions for four to 11-year-olds where parents can grab a cup of tea or a shop while their little one is learning to weigh, measure, and bake delicious dishes.

For working parents there are holiday camps for 4 to 8-year-olds with a bolt on breakfast offer from 8am if they need to start early.

The club has been designed with sustainable natural materials in a green and pale wood colour scheme with creative play options for children. (Image: Courtesy of b_together)

Some classes are open to non members, as are the meetings held by NW8 Mums. The most striking thing is the restful colour scheme of greens, pale woods, foliage and natural materials - the whole space has been designed to be as sustainable as possible.

For children the emphasis is on fun, unstructured, creative, multisensory play. Holiday camp activities include cook offs science experiments, messy art sessions and sports.

While the nursery had a rocky start with an April 2022 Ofsted inspection which identified several areas requiring improvement, the latest inspection in March awarded a Good for all areas, praising "friendly and caring" staff, and a "nurturing engaging environment."

AT Feast is open to all and serves an extensive array of breakfasts lunches, pastries, cakes and even cocktails (Image: Courtesy of b_together)

The cafe AT Feast is open to the public and a great addition to the High Street as 'planet, child and dog friendly'. While my 11-year-old was happily engaged baking chocolate chip cookies at the Cook School, I tried their home made twice cooked crispy fries (top marks) and oozingly good cheese feast toastie, sourdough filled with mozzarella, Sussex Charmer, goat cheese, and tomato chilli chutney.

The kids' menu is healthy and nutritious, ranging from fish and chips to various pastas and 'frambled eggs,' and there's an array of breakfasts with soups, sarnies, burgers and salads for lunch as well as indulgent pudddings and cocktails.

Bolger has personally helped to design the menu, and hopes b_together will be the first of many family clubs offering a safe and inspiring environment for children to play and parents to connect.

As she says: "Because parenting is hard work we may as well do it together in a beautiful place."

b_together is at 47, St John's Wood High Street, NW8.