Game on in May
The Arcade Warehouse Lincoln is getting ready to open in May with over 100 retro and modern gaming machines, Esports PCs and consoles, pool table, air hockey, VR and a cafe and bar.
Business IT professionals Caton Airey, 36, and Dan Rees, 34, started their own company PCSCUK Ltd in Scunthorpe in 2012 before opening a gaming shop in the town 24 months ago. They then launched The Arcade Warehouse Scunthorpe in June last year, which will reopen on May 17.
The friends from Scunthorpe, who have known each other for 12 years, are now getting ready to open their latest venture in the unit formerly occupied by Palmers of Lincoln on Dixon Street on May 21, and The Lincolnite went to check it out.
Take a look inside The Arcade Warehouse Lincoln, which opens on May 21, 2021. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
An area dedicated to driving-related games. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Caton and Dan competing against each other. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Over 100 arcade and gaming machines to choose from. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
There will be an entry fee of £8.95 for two hours for the entertainment venue, which is suitable for all ages.
Once this is paid you can play any of the games or activities inside at no extra cost – booking is now open and it is advised to book online in advance. Children under five can enter for free and there is currently a capacity for 70 people.
There are arcade and gaming machines for all ages, including driving, shooting, retro, virtual reality, pinball and basketball games, as well as Guitar Hero, a DJ game, a PC gaming area and more.
You can book two hour slots for £8.95. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Esports PCs and consoles area. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Games for all ages, including for children. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
The cafe and bar area will be completed next ready for May’s opening. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
The cafe and bar will serve alcoholic and soft drinks, such as milkshakes and ice blasts, and food including burgers, chips, hot dogs, pizza and Focaccia sandwiches.
Over £200,000 has been invested into the Lincoln site being leased by the two friends. It will create around 10 new jobs with the potential for more in the future.
It will open 12pm-8pm Monday to Thursday, 12pm-10pm on Fridays and 10am-10pm Saturdays and Sundays.
Dan having a go at Blazing Angels. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Time to shoot some hoops. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Or to try the pinball machines. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Caton told The Lincolnite: “I am excited, nervous and optimistic. We are really keen to get going. We’ve had the site since November and seeing it transform now we want to see people here enjoying themselves.”
Dan added: “We’ve felt like it’s been dragging because of COVID, but we’re eager to open in Lincoln and looking to expand with other sites. We are looking forward to seeing our first customers enjoying the experience in May.”
Panic Park is Caton’s favourite game at The Arcade Warehouse Lincoln. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
When asked what their favourite games are inside The Arcade Warehouse Lincoln, Caton said Panic Park, which is a Japanese import arcade game.
Dan’s top game is Dark Escape 4D, a horror experience including fans blowing onto the back of your neck, vibrating seats and heart monitors to gauge the user’s reactions.
Dark Escape 4D is Dan’s favourite game at The Arcade Warehouse Lincoln. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Caton Airey and Dan Rees outside their latest venture – The Arcade Warehouse Lincoln. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
The business partners aim to have five Arcade Warehouses open across the country in the future.
A dramatic video shows a car engulfed in flames in the car park at Lincoln County Hospital on Tuesday afternoon.
An on-call crew from Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue attended the scene on Greetwell Road shortly before 5pm on Tuesday, April 13.
The crew used one hose reel to extinguish the fire and fortunately no casualties were reported.
The car is probably a write-off. | Photo: The Lincolnite
Dramatic pictures from the scene show the severe damage that was caused to the front of the car.
Fall in county infections but a Boston spike
There have been 50 new coronavirus cases and three COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Tuesday — compared to 58 cases and no deaths this time last week.
The government’s COVID-19 dashboard recorded 26 new cases in Lincolnshire, 19 in North Lincolnshire and five in North East Lincolnshire.
On Tuesday, three deaths were registered in Lincolnshire, none in North East Lincolnshire and -1 in North Lincolnshire. Fluctuations in data are usually due to some deaths in those areas being reallocated to other regions across the UK or a miscount. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.
NHS England has reported two new local hospital deaths at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust hospitals.
On Tuesday, national cases increased by 2,472 to 4,375,814, while deaths rose by 23 to 127,123.
In local news, people aged over 45 can now book their COVID vaccinations on the NHS website after the government reached its target of offering a first dose to the nine most vulnerable groups.
There were recently some technical difficulties for people accessing the NHS website, but vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said the issues have been fixed – book a vaccine online here and find out if you are eligible.
Over the weekend, Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rate has fallen, with a spike in Boston only.
Similarly, the England average has also seen a drop in infections, but still remains nearly half Greater Lincolnshire’s rates.
Lincoln has dropped by more than half over the weekend and now has one of the smallest rates in the UK, with just 9.1 per 100,000 of the population infected with COVID-19.
Here’s Greater Lincolnshire’s COVID-19 infection rates up to April 12:
Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rates from Apr 5 to Apr 12. | Data: Gov UK / Table: James Mayer for The Lincolnite
In national news, Boris Johnson has warned that the reduction in coronavirus infections, hospitalisations and deaths “has not been achieved” by the rollout of COVID vaccines.
The prime minister, speaking the day after the latest easing of lockdown restrictions, instead said it was the national shutdown that had been “overwhelmingly important” in driving down COVID rates.
England is giving out its first doses of the Moderna jab, the third COVID-19 vaccine in the nation’s rollout.
It will be available at 21 sites, included the Madejski Stadium in Reading and the Sheffield Arena.
Along with the Pfizer jab, it offers an alternative to the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for under-30s, after concerns about a possible link to very rare blood clots.
Greater Lincolnshire includes Lincolnshire and the unitary authorities of North and North East (Northern) Lincolnshire.
58,772 cases (up 50)
2,184 deaths (up three)
of which 1,302 hospital deaths (up two)
4,375,814 UK cases, 127,123 deaths
There will be another Kill The Bill protest in Lincoln next week, rallying against a new government bill that diminishes protesting rights.
Protests have been rife across the country since the government’s proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill was first discussed, with scenes turning violent in Bristol.
Over two hundred people peacefully took part in the city’s first march at Speakers’ Corner on April 3, including Extinction Rebellion activists and Socialist and Labour supporters.
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Now, after a post started doing the rounds on social media, another protest has apparently been scheduled for 2pm on Monday, April 17 at the same location on Lincoln High Street, as part of a national day of action.
A poster promoting a second event has been shared across social media platforms.
Protests are lawful once again after the government eased lockdown restrictions on March 29, but organisers are required to submit a risk assessment prior to any event.
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Organisers of the last protest were in close communication with police to make the event safe, and The Lincolnite has asked Lincolnshire Police if they have been made aware of another protest, but are yet to receive a reply.
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