Free club 'many don't know exists' makes emotional plea

A community centre has shared its disappointment as it made an emotional plea to residents. St Helens Chain Lane Community Centre offers a wide range of services in the town, including yoga and foreign language lessons.

Groups can also hire the space for their social events. In September of last year, the centre announced they were considering running a free video game club too.

On its Facebook page, the community centre said: “We're thinking of trying something new! Arcades, Xboxes, Pool, Air hockey, board games, Pokémon cards, tournaments, drinks, food… Would you come along to a monthly Family Game Night?

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“We'd love to turn our entire building into a retro feel family gaming space once a month and welcome everyone to come together. This would include our current gaming suite full of Xboxes but also a space in our other rooms for board games and Pokemon before entering our main hall set up like a bar style arcade with machines, pool tables and air hockey minus the alcohol.”

Chain Lane began running the club earlier this year. However, the community centre has asked local residents for help on what to do next.

In a Facebook post this week, the organisation said: “Our free arcade club has not been as well attended as we hoped and we want to know what we can do to make this a service that people are really excited to use. Currently the club runs every Thursday from 5-7pm and is completely free for children from 8 to 12 years old.

“Children have access to a variety of arcade machines and Xboxes with a plethora of games, as well as a full sized air hockey table! Would you change the time? The day? What can we do to make this more popular!”

Many offered the centre suggestions on improving the turnout to the club. One said: “Drop the age limit and open at weekends. Also allow adults in. We love going to Arcade Club in Bury and my boy has done so since he was 6. Having to be 8 years old seems over the top.”

Another added: “Didn't know anything about this but would definitely be interested if it was available on other days.” A third person said: “I didn't know about this. Please consider running a group in the day time for the home educated community (and extend the age range or add a teen group?)”

A fourth person said: “I never knew this and I live near Chain Lane. I know a lot of sports is on a Thursday evening the likes of football and rugby, my boy would probably be interested in this but wouldn't be able to do a Thursday."

Another nearby resident argued: “It seems not many don’t know about it, myself included! Changing the day & slight change on the age bracket seems also a running theme in the comments. I hope it does well and continues because there’s nothing for kids these days.”

Numerous video game venues have opened in Merseyside recently, but these have tended to be bars in Liverpool city centre targeting a more adult audience and you often have to pay to play the games.

These include Dough Bar off Lime Street, NQ64 in Ropewalks, Arcains in the Baltic Triangle and Gravity MAX in Liverpool ONE. Another one called Pixel, based on Wood Street, opened last month.

However, it’s not been entirely straightforward for these bars. Leveltap opened in May 2023 in Hanover Street attempting to capitalise on the popularity of competitive e-sports.

It closed less than a year later. The owners cited “current marketing conditions” which were making it challenging for independent start-ups.