SCORES of youngsters enjoying their school holidays have been left miserable after the doors were slammed shut on a popular play facility in Chandler's Ford.

Space Ace, a children's indoor adventure play centre, has provided fun-filled hours for generations of children.

But parents turning up at the centre this week with their offspring were greeted with the news that it had closed.

A notice posted on the doors of the building, in Renown Close on Chandler's Ford Industrial Estate, read: "Space Ace is now closed due to the actions of Coca Cola, our landlord. We have tried to contact all customers regarding parties. Refunds are now in the post."

Marie Bowers is angry that her son Daniel's birthday celebrations, which had been booked at Space Ace for last Saturday, nearly ended in tears.

Marie, 34, of Lordshill, Southampton, had planned the party for six-year-old Daniel and 17 other children.

It was only by chance that she discovered through a recorded message that the centre had closed.

Marie had to pull out all the stops to find an alternative location to prevent Daniel's birthday celebrations being ruined.

She has since received a full refund from Space Ace but she is angry that it caused so much stress.

"I just could not believe it," she said.

"I was so surprised that I rang the number again. I was in tears and I was shaking. I was going to drive round to the centre but my mum stopped me."

She got a call from Space Ace late on Friday afternoon explaining that the birthday party could not go ahead but she would get her money back.

Yesterday families were still disappointed that this fun palace for kids was no longer.

Corinne McQueen, 34, of Valley Park, Chandler's Ford, said: "We are shocked that it has been closed, especially as this is half-term when lots of children would have been looking forward to playing here."

Her two children Anna, six, and James, three, had been looking forward to playing in bouncy castles and play pits.

Catherine Penfold, 34, had made a special trip with her three-year-old daughter Madeleine, from Romsey.

"It was a safe place for children to run around and play while mums could sit and have a chat," she said.

A spokesman for Coca-Cola Enterprises Limited, landlord of the Renown Close premises, said: "Coca Cola Enterprises Limited can confirm that on Friday, February 11 it took possession of the property from the sub-tenant Ashlett UK Limited."

The spokesman said that Ashlett had not paid rent since September 2003.

Ashlett UK Ltd was not available to comment.