Namco Funscape sits within the Yellow Mall of intu Metrocentre - it's brilliant! Takes you back to…read morethose awkward teen years when you still couldn't quite go into the pub without it being bloomin' obvious you were nowhere near old enough (kids, just don't do it) and needed somewhere to entertain you and your mates. There's loads to do to while away some time, it's got penny arcades, dodgems, those funny machines where you dance on the floorpads in (or out) time to some god-awful Europop tune, air-hockey, pool tables, a bar and (my personal fave) ten-pin bowling. Which is where this review now ventures. Now, I like bowling and Newcastle has a few bowling alleys dotted around, sadly the XS up at Longbenton is no more and there's still one in Fenham which looks like it has seen better days. Lane7 is good if you're after swish U-S-of-A style atmosphere, but it's string bowling (pins dangle on strings) which just ain't quite the same. So, if you're after that authentic bowling experience, I'd recommend you head over to Namco. 18 lanes of proper bowling fun, 8 of which are partitioned off into 'The Lounge', you can now bowl in your own shoes (flat soled only, sorry ladies) which is a slightly bizarre experience, but one you get used to. They still have a stock of actual bowling shoes, just in case. It's always very well maintained here, the balls are returned to the racks in size order so you're not taking ages hunting for the right weight, the lanes are in great condition and (so far) I've never had the pin-setter go wonky and breakdown. You also get lane service for drinks, keeps you nicely refreshed as you chalk up another strike. Some great offers to be had, such as on Wednesday and Sunday evenings when you can get 3 games for £6 (after 6pm). So pull on those retro shirts and pants, get yourself down and prove that you're 'The Dude' or 'Kingpin' after all.

Ahhhh the memories of Pier amusements of when i was a child, it was the place to hang out and to…read moreplay the latest arcade games as well as playing your mates at pool. It is based right on the sea front and has a number of gamblers as well as arcade machines. The main attraction when i was a kid was that they had decent pool tables and the sonic blastman game, there always seemed to be a queue for this game so you could punch the bag to see how hard your punches were. I have not been to pier amusements for a while now and would not be suprised if it had not changed a bit so the rating it gets from me is based on nostalgic memories i have of the place : )

A really icnonic amusements on Roker beach front…read more Very Very cheap, i don't think i have ever spent more than 30p on any kind of arcade game in there. There is even a cafe/chip shop where you can get tea, coffee or sausage and chips. Aswell as ice creams and cold drinks. Very friendly staff, always packed during the summer.

a good place to take the kids to on a rainy day - lots of 2p machines to keep them entertained for…read morea while at a low cost! good parking outside and cafes nearby when you get tired of gambling!

This is an amusements arcade located next to the main fairground in South Shields. It is often…read moreplagued by chavs (though they are an integral part of British society and I guess there's nothing you can do to get rid of them!) which is a shame really. It has all the typical things you'd find in an amusements such as fruit machines, etc etc. They have a small kiosk which sells fish and chips which are very nice, and also sells other typically fairground snacks like candyfloss. I believe they are currently working on installing a new bowling alley in fact it may already be finished which should attract a wider audience to the area.

This isn't a massive Place like Blackpool pleasure beach or anything, more of a fair with rides…read morelike Bumper Cars, Waltzers, a small rollercoaster, hook a duck and 3 or 4 small arcades with Teddy Machines etc. There is also a couple of cafes on site, and a fish and chip shop. Also there is the Dunes arcade which as a Bowling Alley and Bar Restaurant that does reasonable priced pub food off the specials board and good priced kids meals. The Fair is also attached to the Pier if you fancy a nice stroll, the beach is also quite clean here. Over the road from Ocean Beach Pleasure Park is a lovely park with large boating lake.

Scarborough has, for as many years as I've lived here (almost ten now) been in desperate need of a…read morehalfway decent amusement park. It wouldnt have to be anything on the scale of Alton Towers or Blackpool Pleasure Beach, it'd just have to be something of a reasonable size with a few good rides and so on. For years, there was a small and basic park on the North Bay, but thats been an expanse of wasteland since the mid 90s. Since then, if you dont want to travel to Flamingo Land, Luna Park is the only option in town. ....and its not very good, sadly. For starters, its tiny - really, really small. It basically consists of some ropey old dodgems, a little ferris wheel, a couple of arcades and stalls such as hook a duck and ring toss, and a spinny around ride which always looks dangerously unsafe. Thats the extent of what you get. Given 15 minutes, you can go on each ride and have a go on each stall. Its overpriced for what it is, but its usually pretty busy in the high season with families and teenagers. The sad thing is - as theres no alternative, people will come and spend their money here.

It is a shame this place closed as it was really good. It had its own free car park outside and ran…read moredifferent bingo section and had fruit machines etc inside. It was quite expensive but there were big prizes to be won so it was more worth while. There were plenty of seats, when it was open a lot of people would smoke which would not be a problem now. There was a lack of ventilation in there which was a big problem when it was hot and smoky. It will be missed.

I took my 2 kids for a day-trip to Diggerland, from Glasgow. My 14 year old son loved it but as…read morethere's nothing for teenage girls, my daughter hated it. They should have a reduced price for entry only £17 for everyone (even if you don't go on anything ) is a bit much. That aside, the people of Northumberland are the nicest people I've ever come across. I got lost around the villages and had to ask for directions many times and they couldn't have been more helpful. Diggerland should have more signage in the surrounding countryside ( best views ever, though! ). The staff at Diggerland were helpful and polite also. I'll go again but with just my son.

Diggerland is located in Langley Parknot far from Durham City…read more It offers both Children and Adults the chance to drive real life dump trucks, mini diggers and full size diggers in their purpose built site. Everything is very safe and there is strict supervision at all times. There is also static displays and competitions for children. They also have a cafe and a shop. To be honest, I wasn't very impressed with the whole concept. Driving about in farm machinery isn't my cup of tea and it wasn't very exciting at all. You're better off spending your money elsewhere!

We couldn't help but smile upon entering Settle Down. This is the place you want to have lunch, it…read morereally is. It's strikingly cosy, the food looked delicious and fresh, and the staff were bright and cheery. Not to mention, the swinging jazz music which welcomed us, which was a quirky addition. We knew we were on to something good when we entered to the most pleasant of aromas. 'What is that smell?!' - We just had to ask. It could have been a mixture of numerous delicious tasty concoctions but the overwhelming warm scent of 'the tangy Thai soup' oozing from the kitchen teased our hungry lunchtime bellies. With quite the selection of herbal tea, including some interesting loose leaf options, it's the perfect spot for tea in the toon. There's also fresh milkshakes too! I opted for a pot of apple and mint tea based on the waitress's recommendation and I wasn't disappointed. Mmm! We took a seat and awaited lunch whilst admiring the homely and bright interior. It wasn't long till I was in Thai soup heaven with a delicious bowl of thick, creamy, just-the-right-amount-of-spice tasty tang! Accompanied by a delicious tuna, cheese, olives and caramelised onion sandwich, it made for a fine lunch. Seriously yummy stuff and a mega bargain at just £4.50! This was a definite highlight of our time in Newcastle, for sure. And if Newcastle is on the cards again, I've no doubt that it'll be Settle Down that calls me back for lunch. Settle down and enjoy!

The Settle Down is a cafe which shares space with a great independent record shop (alt vinyl) and a…read morecutting edge contemporary gallery (satellite) in the centre of newcastle upon tyne. the cafe serves toasted ciabatta sandwiches, great salads, homemade cakes, hearty soups, simple breakfasts and great coffee and tea. eat in or take out- great service from friendly staff. this tiny place is a beautifully styled cafe- old school chairs, battered wooden floor, nice bits of original art on the walls, nick-nacks spread about the place, a toy kitchen for kids to play with, cool lighting, a couple of stylish old macs providing free internet access. also great (and usually pretty obscure) music provided by the record shop. the opening hours are 8am-7pm, so it's one of the few places in newcastle where you can actually get a decent coffee and a lovely bite after 5pm. breakfasts are simple and cheap. everything's pretty cheap, in fact. set on a pedestrianised square, it's just a couple of minutes from central station, so the whole city is within easy reach and transport links are excellent. also nearby: premier apartments hotel, dance city, carling academy / o2 academy, journal tyne theatre, the centre for life / the life centre, tilleys, the forth, newcastle arts centre, black swan yard, hair mechanics, discovery museum, the salsa club, china town / stowell street, the gate, blackfriars, newcastle arena, st james park, westgate road, fenham.