A small arcade in Sheringham

[pennymachines]

Ha Ha - you're too quick Treefrog! I realized it was an International seconds after posting and started Googling to check.
I'm impressed by your identifying the Ace though!
That other one's bugging me. Seen it before, but never found anything about it.

Edit - Ah, first one's an Aristocrat is it?
Should have gone to Specsavers...

[treefrog]

Now here is a question, arcades in the UK have had signs on the outside stating "Free Admission" for the last 100 years, even looking at some of the older ones on Slotalot's site.....did arcades ever charge to use their machines? I am sure some arcades even state this today

[badpenny]

I shouldn't have thought so, it's very much like tradesmen today saying "Free quotes - No obligation"

Also with arcades it's an attempt to align the gambling element along side more honest entertainment which you would expect to pay for.

When I see "Free Admission" anywhere I always think ....
That's all very well, but how much does it cost to get out?

[pennymachines]

Isn't it strange that in the austere '50s there was no law against children playing machines (or if there was, no one took any notice) and machines that are clearly gambling machines could be placed outside in the open...

And Health and Safety would have something to say about unearthed mains death-traps sat outside in the wind and rain.

[arrgee]

did arcades ever charge to use their machines

Jerry wrote an interesting article in MMM (issue 17) a few years ago about kinetoscopes and talked about kinetoscope parlours whereby he states that 'Patrons were charged twenty five dollars to view all the machines in one row'
Not exectly an arcade but there was at least a precedent set during the end of the 19th centry for charging.

[JC]

Are you sure that was 25 dollars Arrgee? I don't have issue 17 to hand at the moment, but shouldn't that have been 25c? 25 dollars would have come close to buying the entire shop!
(Or was it just another of my typos)?

[arrgee]

Are you sure that was 25 dollars Arrgee?

You are absolutely correct Jerry, 25 cents to view 10, half a dollar to view 20.

Duhhh, wot a plonker

By the way, it was October 2007 issue, bet it only seems like yesturday JC !!

[coppinpr]

The arcade I worked in the early '70s didn't give replays on the row of 20 pinballs, but paid out 3 fags for 3 replays, 6 for 6 and 10 for 9. There was a sign that said 'Paid to over 16s only', which had absolutely no effect.

I have never smoked, and when I was 15 I supplemented my £5 wage by winning cigs in the same arcade and selling them to guys at work who did.

It's still an arcade, but a shadow of its former self with the usual crap machines. Quite a history though - started life as a shooting gallery with a tea bar in the 1930s; progressed through being a true pinball parlor in the '60s and '70s, to become the sad gambling trap it is today. No longer the spivs loitering near the jukebox and Lenny, with a permanent roll up stitched to his bottom lip, in his white (I say this in the broadest sense) coat, dispensing change and paying out the cigs. No door in those days, just a wide open front, even though it was in a South London street. I remember it being freezing in there in the winter.

[treefrog]

It's Jimmy's .... it says in the window.

What's the wall machine between the two girls in the first one ? It has a red top flash and a blue cash bag on the front?

Stuart, I often visit your site, the atmospheric colour photos from the 50/60s take me back and don't do me legs much good either.
I think I've spotted a mis-caption though.
Instead of "Playing the machines" I think Acker Bilk is "Debuting his perspex clarinet"

Well it's only taken 2 years and 4 months to identify, but the machine between the two girls is the same one I posted a few weeks back, the "Dial for Money" Nixie machine...... Did anyone here buy the machine?

[bryans fan]

Well done you TF! What took you so long

[slotalot]

I must look at my website more often.
Well spotted, never noticed it before,,

[badpenny]

How the dickens did you remember that TF?

[treefrog]

Sheringham has become a bit posh these days and many of the coastal properties turned into expensive holiday lets or second homes.... This arcade is now exactly that....

Amazing what the weather does though, and the impact it must have had on the machines outside, as below you will see a Googlemap of two periods showing the Arcade/property today, top one dated 2009 and lower one 2013......

I would guess the two original pictures would have been a similar gap, late 60s and early 70s.

[wembleylion]

The Robin Hood pub in Station Street, Sheringham has / had a small collection of machines but it's a long time ago that I went in there so can't remember what they were, sorry.

John

[pennymachines]

did anyone here buy the machine?

Well spotted Treefrog. I'd forgotten about this picture. And I have to put my hand up for buying it, at the starting price. Pricey, I agree, but the combination of elusiveness, obscurity and the use of old GPO components in a telephone-themed slot, proved irresistible. Also, it's a companion for the Sturgeon Electronic Manufacturing Co. Ltd. Golden Mint.

My vague memory of seeing one at a slottie auction years ago is of a telephone hand piece affixed to the top of the cabinet (presumably for show only). Did I imagine this? I'd love a scan of your flyer Treefrog!

[slotalot]

I'd love a scan of your flyer Treefrog!

SO WOULD I

[treefrog]

Well done Mr PM, I thought it would be someone here..... Good luck getting it going, I have still to get the Beat the Bandit I got fully operational, awaiting for the bad smell from the machine to go away before allowing near the house.......

I will have to have a look at my documents again, as if I remembered seeing a flyer it would not have been under Whitakers as I have sent you all I had Sloalot - will let you know.

There is another thread on the Robin Hood. I have not been there for 3 or 4 years, but bought a couple of machines off the landlord and played on his machines.

[slotalot]

I had a trip down to the Robin Hood at Sheringham last year, met up with one of our members for a quick drink. I did take some photos at the time, but can I find them? I have heard that it recently changed hands, so not sure what is there now...

If you don't have any luck with your Beat the Bandit, you could always drop it off at Slotalot Towers and I will give it a good seeing to for you..

[treefrog]

Well found the flyer, thought I was not dreaming and now have to correct myself, the Dial for Money is actually a Semco machine, not Whitaker as I had stated on the other thread, same as the other one you have.....Anyway the brochure has three machines in their range, with the Dial a Money at the bottom for £72, the Golden Mint for £175 and top of the range with visible jackpot at £250.......Will scan once I get the scanner going..................

[treefrog]

Flyers from Semco. Your machine is called the "Beachcomber" here, but basically the same.