About Cookes Castles

One bouncy castle, a college student and an idea for earning a living. That was how Cookes Castles began in 1998. More than two decades later, the business has grown into an established East Sussex inflatable and party hire company with around 30 inflatables, a much wider entertainment range and a new business partnership for its next chapter.

Cookes Castles remains proudly local and personal. We provide Bouncy Castles, inflatable entertainment, soft play and party equipment for families, schools, businesses, charities and event organisers throughout East Sussex and surrounding areas.

Some customers need a single castle for a birthday in the garden. Others need several attractions for a school fete, company fun day or large community event. Whatever the scale, our aim is to provide suitable equipment, knowledgeable advice and a dependable service from people who genuinely understand inflatable hire.

It All Started with One Bouncy Castle in 1998

Cookes Castles began when David Cooke was studying at college and bought a single bouncy castle as a way to earn a living.

That one inflatable started something much bigger.

Bookings increased, more equipment was added and the business gradually developed a customer base throughout the local area. What began as a straightforward way of earning money became a long-term business serving generation after generation of local families.

Over the years, Cookes Castles has delivered equipment to thousands of occasions, from small children's birthdays to school celebrations, weddings, community events, fundraisers and large outdoor gatherings.

Today, the range contains around 30 inflatables as well as other party equipment, but the company has retained the personal approach that helped it grow in the first place.

A New Chapter for Cookes Castles: David and Dale

In 2025, Cookes Castles entered an important new stage when David formed a business partnership with Dale.

After David had spent decades building the company from its original single bouncy castle, the partnership created an opportunity to take Cookes Castles forward while retaining the experience, local knowledge and customer-focused approach developed since 1998.

Customers can now speak with David or Dale when they need help with a booking, want advice about suitable equipment or have questions about their event.

It means Cookes Castles can look towards the future without forgetting how the business began: as a local operation where customers can deal directly with the people behind the company.

30 Inflatables and a Lot More Ways to Party

The original Cookes Castles customer had a fairly simple choice. There was one bouncy castle.

Things have changed a little since then.

Our modern hire range covers very different styles of entertainment. There are traditional castles for straightforward bouncing, 3D Bouncy Castles designed to make an immediate visual impact and Bouncy Castle Slide Combos for children who want to bounce, climb and slide.

Party themes are well represented too. Young dinosaur enthusiasts can explore Dinosaur Bouncy Castles, animal lovers can go wild with Jungle Bouncy Castles, while Unicorn Bouncy Castles and Superhero Bouncy Castles provide very different directions for themed birthdays.

Rather than expecting customers to fit their party around whatever equipment happens to be available, our broader range gives us more opportunity to find something appropriate for the event they actually want to hold.

Not Everything We Hire Is a Bouncy Castle

Bouncing is only part of the story these days.

Children who enjoy racing and scrambling through obstacles can tackle our Inflatable Assault Courses. Inflatable Games introduce short challenges and friendly competition, while Sports Games are useful when guests would rather demonstrate their skills than simply bounce.

Our Inflatable Slides create a completely different kind of activity, while Disco Domes combine inflatable entertainment with music and a party atmosphere.

For events with enough space to think bigger, Large Event Inflatables and Inflatable Packages can help organisers develop an entertainment area containing several attractions rather than relying on a single unit.

You can browse All Our Products if you want to see how far the range has come since that first castle in 1998.

Some of Our Customers Are Very Small Indeed

Toddlers need entertainment designed with younger children in mind, rather than simply being placed alongside much older and more energetic users.

Our Toddler Play equipment and Soft Play And Juggler Ball Pond range give little ones somewhere more suitable to crawl, explore and play.

For parties where families want several activities together, Bouncy Castle & Soft Play Packages combine inflatable and soft play entertainment in one booking.

These setups can work particularly well for first birthdays, toddler celebrations, christenings, nursery events and family gatherings.

Parents organising an early-years celebration can also read How to Plan a Toddler Party for practical ideas.

From Back Gardens to School Fields

One of the biggest changes we have seen over the years is the variety of events using inflatable entertainment.

A bouncy castle in a family garden remains a classic sight, but Cookes Castles also works with schools, companies, charities, councils and community organisations.

Our equipment can be hired for School Fetes & Fundraisers, Corporate Events & Company Fun Days, Community & Council Events, Charity Events and Festival Hire.

We also provide entertainment for Birthday Parties, Christenings and seasonal celebrations through Christmas Hire.

The mechanics of each event can be very different. A birthday may have a dozen children arriving together for a few hours. A public event could have families coming and going throughout the day. A school fete may need several attractions operating at the same time.

Years of working at these different occasions help us recommend equipment according to how an event is actually going to work.

Local Knowledge Built Up One Delivery at a Time

You get to know an area rather well after decades of loading vans and delivering inflatables around it.

Cookes Castles regularly provides party and inflatable hire in Eastbourne, Hailsham, Lewes, Seaford, Crowborough, Heathfield, Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill, East Grinstead and Tunbridge Wells.

Our routes also take us into smaller communities such as Buxted, Ringmer, Hellingly, Lindfield, Newhaven, Peacehaven, Polegate, Hadlow Down, Five Ashes, Cooksbridge and many other towns and villages.

That local knowledge is useful when planning deliveries, discussing venues and helping customers think through the practical side of their booking.

Take a look at Areas We Cover for more information about our delivery radius.

Choosing an Inflatable Is Really a Question of Space, People and Purpose

It is tempting to choose entirely by appearance. Sometimes that works perfectly. Sometimes the enormous inflatable your child has fallen in love with is not going through the gate, fitting beneath the hall ceiling or squeezing between the shed and the apple tree.

We therefore encourage customers to think about three things: who will use the equipment, where it will be installed and what role it needs to play at the event.

The age of users matters. So does the number of guests. Gardens need suitable usable space rather than approximate overall dimensions, while indoor venues require sufficient floor area and ceiling clearance.

Our Low Height / Indoor range can help where headroom is restricted, and customers still searching for somewhere to celebrate can browse Party Venues.

For further guidance, read What Size Bouncy Castle Do I Need for My Garden? or How to Choose the Right Bouncy Castle for Your Event.

East Sussex Weather Has Taught Us a Few Things Too

After operating since 1998, we are under no illusions about the predictability of a British summer.

Outdoor events can be fantastic when conditions are suitable, and our Outdoor Party Hire range provides plenty of possibilities for gardens, playing fields and open event spaces.

Weather still has to be treated seriously. Conditions can affect whether an inflatable can be operated safely outdoors, particularly when wind becomes an issue.

Indoor venues provide another option for customers who want greater certainty. Our Indoor vs Outdoor Party Hire guide compares the two approaches, while What to Do If the Weather Turns on Your Party Day contains advice for those occasions when the forecast decides to become involved in the party planning.

Clean Equipment, Proper Setup and Safety That Matters

Our job is not finished when an inflatable leaves our premises.

Cookes Castles delivers and installs its equipment rather than expecting customers to collect and set up commercial inflatables themselves. Products are cleaned, checked and maintained, and the setup area needs to be suitable for the equipment selected.

We carry £5 million public liability insurance and use safety-tested electrical equipment. Inflatable testing, appropriate anchoring, access, ground conditions and weather are all important parts of providing a professional hire service.

Once equipment has been installed, appropriate adult supervision remains essential throughout its use.

Customers who want to understand more can visit Insurance Information, read Safety Tips for Hiring a Bouncy Castle or see Top Safety Questions About Inflatables Answered.

We'd Rather Help You Choose the Right Thing

Years of experience are most useful when they help prevent a problem before it happens.

If an inflatable is unsuitable for a particular venue, age group or available space, we would rather discuss alternatives than encourage a customer to book something simply because it looks impressive on the website.

That is also why we have developed Party Planning Guides covering many of the questions customers ask us.

Parents can read How to Plan Children's Parties. Schools can explore How Schools Can Use Inflatables for Fundraising. Larger event organisers can use How to Entertain at Big Events, while councils and community organisations can find ideas in How Councils Can Make Family-Friendly Events Successful.

There is a lot more to successful inflatable hire than plugging in a blower, and sharing some of what we have learned since 1998 can make planning considerably easier.

Why Families and Event Organisers Choose Cookes Castles

• Established in 1998 with decades of local inflatable hire experience.
• Family-run East Sussex business with David and Dale working together in partnership.
• A range of around 30 inflatables plus soft play and other party entertainment.
• Options for toddlers, children, teenagers, adults and mixed-age events.
• Equipment for birthdays, schools, companies, councils, charities and community organisations.
• Extensive experience of local venues, towns and villages.
• Delivery, professional installation and collection handled by our team.
• £5 million public liability insurance.
• Cleaned, checked and maintained hire equipment.
• Direct advice from people who understand the products they are supplying.

1998 Was Only the Beginning

There is quite a distance between one bouncy castle bought by a college student and the Cookes Castles of today.

Thousands of local events have happened in between. The inflatable range has expanded. New types of entertainment have appeared. The places we deliver to have grown. Children who once bounced on our castles now have children attending parties of their own.

And in 2025, the partnership between David and Dale opened another chapter in that story.

What has not changed is the underlying idea: provide good-quality party equipment, turn up with the knowledge needed to install it properly and give customers straightforward help when they need it.

If you would like to see what previous customers think, visit Reviews, or take a look through Gallery to see more of Cookes Castles in action.

Speak to David or Dale

If you know what you want, browse the products and make your booking online. If you are still deciding, just ask us.

Visit Contact Us, call David on 07929109186 or call Dale on 07739498500.

After more than two decades in inflatable hire, there is a good chance we have dealt with a party, venue or setup rather like yours before.

About Cookes Castles FAQs

When was Cookes Castles established?

Cookes Castles was established in 1998 when David Cooke bought his first bouncy castle while studying at college. The business has since grown to offer around 30 inflatables and a much wider range of party entertainment.

Who runs Cookes Castles?

David founded Cookes Castles in 1998. In 2025, David and Dale formed a business partnership to begin the next chapter of the company.

What does Cookes Castles hire?

Our range includes bouncy castles, 3D and themed inflatables, bounce-and-slide combos, inflatable slides, assault courses, inflatable games, sports games, disco domes, soft play, toddler equipment and larger event inflatables.

Do you only provide equipment for children's birthday parties?

No. As well as birthdays and family celebrations, Cookes Castles provides equipment for schools, businesses, charities, councils, festivals, community groups and other event organisers.

Where does Cookes Castles provide inflatable hire?

We work throughout our East Sussex and surrounding delivery area, including Eastbourne, Hailsham, Lewes, Seaford, Crowborough, Heathfield, Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill, East Grinstead, Tunbridge Wells and many smaller towns and villages.

Can Cookes Castles help me choose suitable equipment?

Yes. David and Dale can advise customers about suitable options based on factors such as the age of users, event type, available space, access and whether the celebration is indoors or outdoors.