Vintage amusement arcades currently open in the UK

[arrgee]

The Milestones arcade has closed and Clive Baker has removed all of his machines some time ago.

That is a great shame, Clive's selection of machines there were very good and in-keeping with the overall theme of the museum with its old Victorian/Edwardian houses, shops and artefacts.
Another one bites the dust

[pennymachines]

I wonder if this one survived the pandemic.

Vintage mechanical novelties and devices at Anderton Boat Lift

[moonriver]

I wonder if this one survived the pandemic.

Vintage mechanical novelties and devices at Anderton Boat Lift

YES!

[moonriver]

The Milestones arcade has closed and Clive Baker has removed all of his machines some time ago.

That is a great shame, Clive's selection of machines there were very good and in-keeping with the overall theme of the museum with its old Victorian/Edwardian houses, shops and artefacts.
Another one bites the dust

The arcade at Milestones Museum has re-opened. Typical for venues run by Trusts they thought they could do a better job without much knowledge themselves of vintage machines, and they have merrily spent the last year buying all sorts of tat generally and in some instances being stitched up with machines that others couldn't wait to get rid of and sell them, even including some pinballs and 80's video games completely out of keeping with the setting.
More importantly from a commercial point of view everything you wouldn't touch with a bargepole if you wanted a fighting chance of keeping machines functioning and operational longterm.
Impossible to replicate the diversity, originality and rarity of the standard of vintage amusements Clive's collection provided, seemingly greed and naivety got the better of them and they thought they could simply go out, buy machines and do it themselves. They've done that but at the cost of a shadow of its former glory.

[pennymachines]

Thanks moonriver. I've updated the status of Milestones (with your comments) and added the Anderton Boat Lift Visitor Centre to Locations.

[larry_d]

Humber Pastimes in Cleethorpes is still a good old family run business of near on 60 years. Some really interesting old machines and would love to know if they have any bits and bobs in the back room. Treat yourself if in the area (plus have a game of old style prize bingo whilst there).

[ryan]

Topic moved & merged - Site Admin.

Does anyone know if this is still here? The Portsmouth historic dockyard mentions Laser Quest but nothing about penny machines.

[JC]

As far as I know, Clive's machines are still sited at the Naval Dockyard and the Brickworks. I'm rather ashamed to say that I've not seen the machines at the dockyard, although I did go down there many years ago with Clive, when he had just four machines but in a different location.
I have however had a private tour of the Brickworks, when I went with Clive one afternoon a couple of years ago when the museum was closed to the public. Well worth a visit, as indeed I'm sure the Dockyard is too.

[alan57]

Called into Bygone times near Chorley, Lancashire today to see Darren Hesketh collection, Darren no longer has any machines here anymore, I was told that he had moved out earlier in the year.

[slotalot]

Called into Bygone times near Chorley, Lancashire today to see Darren Hesketh collection, Darren no longer has any machines here anymore, I was told that he had moved out earlier in the year.

I called over to see him last year, unfortunately his arcade was in quite a mess at the time, I believe there had been a flood of some kind , looks like he never came back from that.
But as far as I know he still has machines at the Boat Lift. all be it a cashless attraction with card payments only !! not something I like or agree with.