Penny arcade on TV

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bryans fan
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Re: Penny arcade on TV

Post by bryans fan »

The arcade looked great, some fabulous machines. Well done Pete.
mr merrivale
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Re: Penny arcade on TV

Post by mr merrivale »

Thanks every one for your kind words.
Hopefully a few more customers to follow.
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brigham
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Re: Penny arcade on TV

Post by brigham »

A very positive outcome.
I was slightly uneasy when I first heard of it. Shades of Martin Bashir!
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moonriver
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Re: Penny arcade on TV

Post by moonriver »

Lovely, just watched it on catchup. You can always tell Pete's machines, gleaming like the day they were made!
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arrgee
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Re: Penny arcade on TV

Post by arrgee »

Excellent !

mr merryvale wrote:Hopefully a few more customers to follow

Hopefully a lot more customers to follow
!!THUMBSX2!!
highfield
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Re: Penny arcade on TV

Post by highfield »

Can’t wait to visit the arcade again. Thought programme did it justice. Hopefully more will visit this summer now
jimmycowman
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Re: Penny arcade on TV

Post by jimmycowman »

Yes I'll definitely call in when I'm in the area. Excellent collection 👍
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Re: Penny arcade on TV

Post by jimmycowman »

I've ended up watching all 5 programs as Mrs cowman liked the first one.. shame there was no more vintage arcades televised but I suppose there's not many left. Finishing at Blackpool. Where I don't think there's a one....?
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dickywink
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Re: Penny arcade on TV

Post by dickywink »

Well Jimmy
there is plenty of opportunity for someone to open a vintage arcade in Blackpool ... there is a blackpool museum opening soon with funding and grants from the national heritage and lottery ... £13 million ( that should buy a couple of Bryans :) )

https://www.visitblackpool.com/latest-n ... s-officia/

It really needs a penny arcade ( especially with some Hawtins Machines )

They asked me to put one of my Hawtins / Ditchburn Jukeboxes on display ... but they wanted it in a glass case and with piped music for a 5 year period ... it would destroy itself it needs to work to stay alive :) ... it inspired me to open my own museum that people could hear it play ... but why not have penny machines that people can interact with in the Museum ... it's a huge part of what they want.

all the best ... Dicky
Last edited by dickywink on Sun Aug 08, 2021 3:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
jimmycowman
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Re: Penny arcade on TV

Post by jimmycowman »

It's a shame there's not a vintage arcade at Blackpool any more. I'd say it's the biggest seaside resort in the UK.
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moonriver
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Re: Penny arcade on TV

Post by moonriver »

jimmycowman wrote: Sun Aug 08, 2021 3:00 pm It's a shame there's not a vintage arcade at Blackpool any more. I'd say it's the biggest seaside resort in the UK.
They're only viable in high footfall locations. High footfall locations of any decent size in Blackpool are expensive and not cost effective to operate an old penny arcade.
Southport Pier is an exception as it takes so long to get to the arcade at the end of the pier it's a bit of a captive audience with no competition.
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dickywink
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Re: Penny arcade on TV

Post by dickywink »

But the new museum in Blackpool is on the sea front
What i was trying to say is anyone wants to approach them for an opportunity .... i don't have the time with my day job unfortunately .... but the penny arcade could make a mini fortune for both partners ( them and you ) even if it was a pop up like 1 month exhibit .. every so often ( march to November would be great :) )

anyway i have scattered the seeds so lets have a penny arcade in Blackpool ( funded by someone other than ourselves ) :)

all the best ... dicky
mr merrivale
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Re: Penny arcade on TV

Post by mr merrivale »

There have been three old penny arcades in Blackpool and all have closed for one reason or another. I had a chance to move my entire collection to a top attraction a year or two back but spent a few days looking and meetings I decided it was not a viable idea so please any body thinking of opening an old penny arcade do your home work and you're welcome to ask my advice.
Last edited by mr merrivale on Tue Aug 10, 2021 7:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
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badpenny
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Re: Penny arcade on TV

Post by badpenny »

Without being nosey, if you thought it was viable, what made you decide not to.
BP :cool:
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moonriver
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Re: Penny arcade on TV

Post by moonriver »

typo error I think
mr merrivale
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Re: Penny arcade on TV

Post by mr merrivale »

Opps should have read NOT viable sorry
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Re: Penny arcade on TV

Post by mr merrivale »

I have been told there has been a fourth old penny arcade Blackpool that has come and gone.
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moonriver
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Re: Penny arcade on TV

Post by moonriver »

dickywink wrote: Sun Aug 08, 2021 8:25 pm But the new museum in Blackpool is on the sea front
What i was trying to say is anyone wants to approach them for an opportunity .... i don't have the time with my day job unfortunately .... but the penny arcade could make a mini fortune for both partners ( them and you ) even if it was a pop up like 1 month exhibit .. every so often ( march to November would be great :) )

anyway i have scattered the seeds so lets have a penny arcade in Blackpool ( funded by someone other than ourselves ) :)

all the best ... dicky
Most people assume arcades are a licence to print money, but it's hard to do well. There are some advantages in operating old penny arcades over modern arcades, since the competition is low. The nostalgic draw of playing vintage pre decimal machines trump modern machines as the customer base are predominately families with small children, or grandparents , and since the children have never seen the like before they're up for playing. Nostalgia overcomes all, and old penny arcades are always well received.
Inside the arcade the choice of machines is critical, as is the overall quantity, and the mix, and the variety of games. Speculate to accumulate is key to operating cranes and merchandisers. The public is so conditioned to losing on cranes that when a grab actually does grab, and actually does deliver the sweet they can't quite believe it. The effect of this is refreshing to see, and carrying out armfuls makes for very happy returning families led by the kids own choice to us, instead of elsewhere. Where most old penny arcades fail are down to insufficient machines and the wrong approach.
scorpa163
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Re: Penny arcade on TV

Post by scorpa163 »

I’ve called at Moonriver's arcade several times with my 5 year old grandson who loves playing on the cranes, as he wins every time. Due to blue tack on the grab, little does he know that the penny sweet cost grandad 15 pence. BUT his reaction is priceless. (I do need to get my crane working). That’s what brings people back to play them.
It has a good selection of machines. The Bryan’s Penny Go Round switches itself on via a PIR as you go past inviting you to play.
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Re: Penny arcade on TV

Post by jimmycowman »

Where is moonriver's arcade?
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