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.

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.

This is a great place fun for all the family a bit of a tourist trap, but it is for the kids…read morereally, a nice bowling area, the have arcades and interactive machines such as dance games and such forth around as well, kids are mental in this place as I'm sure I would have been at there age, as its all flashy and loud. Parking is hand with a big car park outside, easy to get to and find, it's a fun night out for the family can get a little bit expensive.

Star Bowl is located in the Royal Quays area of North Shields, opposite to the Outlet Shopping…read moreCentre. This is a 10 lane bowling alley but also has lots of arcade games, pool tables, slot machines ets. It is a popular place with children and teenages and kids parties are regularly held there. It has a burger bar inside so hand for a snack but it's not the cheapest place to dine so probably better to nip across the road to the Royal Quays for nicer/cheaper food there. Star Bowl is lots of fun and occassionally has special offers on so it's worth looking out for those.

Out in Newcastle this weekend? Don't want to get mortal? Why not skip the pre drinking and go to…read moreLane7? Lane7 is a 1950's American style bowling alley in heart of the Toon. As soon as you walk in the door this place screams character, the friendly staff are all decked out in braces and traditional 50's gear and the basic warehouse décor gives lane7 a real charm. Unfortunately we couldn't get booked in for bowling as Christmas parties dominated the lanes so we opted for an hour of pool on the slick American tables. For one hour we paid £12 which I feel is pretty reasonable. Lane7 offer a table service which means that you can focus on your sport of choice and not waste time queuing at the bar. The bar serves cocktails, spirits and draught beer including hipster drink of choice Brooklyn. They also do food with the restaurant set up like a dining hall. There's a really nice fun atmosphere in lane7, laughter is coupled with crashing ten pins and the back and forth of the ping pong balls. Don't be a turkey, strike the right chord with your mates by directing them to Lane7!

We had pre booked lane 7 for Friday 3rd as there were 12 ladies coming from from Belfast for a hen…read moreparty. We were a bit early so we sat in the bar area and enjoyed some cocktails and beer's. We then moved over to the dining area and we're split into two tables of 6. For starter I had the popcorn squid which was served with pico de gallo and garlic mayo. For mains I went for the Lobster roll served with fries (sweet potato fries also available) and ordered the halloumi salad as an extra side. Thoroughly enjoyed my meal. Decided to go for a liquid dessert which was the espresso martini. Quite strong but just what I needed to perk me up. One of the girls ordered an Irish coffee...bad move! I think lane 7 need to research their coffees a bit more as their version included baileys and milk. There were a few cock ups with sides arriving late and one of the dishes was more batter than squid but Amy our server sorted the problems quickly. Very friendly and bubbly girl. Bowling was a great way to get the weekend started as we all had a great laugh and some stupid bowling moves pulled. Definitely recommend booking beforehand.

A good sized pavilion for Whitby for all the folk, goth, jazz, etc festivals they put on. I was at…read morea Streetchoir festival myself and this was a good place for the festival base. They have a theatre, a cinema, a cafe, a bar, a conference space and various other spaces. Plus the view of the beach is fantastic and there are steps in the building that lead to the path to the beach. Although this did lead to ditching a boring session and having a paddle and loaf on the beach instead.

This is a magnificent entertainment complex, exhibition centre and theatre…read more Originally an impressive home, the first owner added a theatre for his Gaiety Girl wife. It has been improved many times since with vast entertainment and display areas added. I have only had experience when Whitby Folk Festival virtually take over the complex for one week in August. Wonderful dance and music sessions in the Exhibition Hall and the downstairs pavilion hall and top class performances in the theatre. All ground floor areas have dedicated bars with a good selection of drinks and the main area has a cafe/coffee bar which serves a wide variety of snacks and meals at the appropriate times. The views over the sea are spectacular I am told this is one of the few places in Britain one can actually watch the sun come up and go down over the sea and I can well believe it, having seen some spectacular sunsets and dawns.