rides and games.

And nearby an outdoor playground is planned, like the new one at Shelly Bay.

The fun centre is modelled on similar places in North America, like Discovery Zone and Chucky Cheese.

Behind the business idea are Bermudian lawyers Mr. Tim Marshall and Mrs.

Georgia Marshall. They and a third partner, yet to be named, are setting up a new company for the venture.

The Marshalls, who live in Somerset with their baby son, said the fun centre had been designed with local families in mind.

"There's no place where you can go on the Island that particularly caters to family entertainment,'' said Mr. Marshall. "You can take your kids to the movies, but other than that there's no real fun place, a business establishment you can go to. We've been doing a lot of research in terms of the viability of this sort of business in other cities and it seems it has been very well received by the communities in which it has been established.

"We just saw a real need. It's hard to think of where you can take your kids, particularly on rainy days, and have a fun day.

"The magic of this is that it lets the kids entertain themselves. Parents can watch their kids having fun and they can relax.'' Mr. Marshall said the restaurant would offer hamburger-type food and could seat up to 100 people. The centre itself would hold 200.

"It will cater for family meals and in particular birthday parties for children, and provide a whole host of different activities for kids -- including a jungle gym, various games of skill and a number of rides.

"It's definitely designed to meet the needs of locals as our principal goal, and then it's the icing on the cake if tourists come.

"We're hoping for a summer '94 opening,'' he said.

Also planned for this summer, by West End Development Corporation, is an outdoor children's playground.

Wedco development manager Mr. Ed Williams said it was hoped to build a climbing frame in the shape of a ship near the Maritime Museum.

Other features could include a catwalk, swings and slides, he said.

"We just felt that it was time to introduce some other elements, in particular for children,'' he said.

Both plans have been given the green light by the Development Applications Board.