It's almost 90 miles away from the coast, but a new amusements arcade is aiming to bring a slice of the seaside to a town just over the border from Notts. Jones Retro Amusements opened in Long Eaton's High Street on September 3.
The building was previously a cafe named Fill Ya Face, however, owners, Michelle Jones and husband Terry Jones, decided they wanted to bring something different to the High Street. Having owned arcades in the past, the married couple changed their cafe to a family amusement.
Mrs Jones said it felt like an end of an era closing the cafe. The 39 year old said: “Everybody that we’ve spoken to has been positive, it’s something different.
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“We’ve seen all ages come in, the weekend is a lot busier with the kids, they especially like the glitter and face painting, we’ve done a lot of them.
Mrs Jones added: “The high street just needs an injection, a bit of life. There’s something for all ages, sand pits outside, a variety of machines, cheap tea and coffee. When there’s quite a few people in it’s a nice feel, a good atmosphere.
“It’s just nice to have brought something a bit different, a bit of fun. If people ever want to come for a cup of tea and let the kids play.
"It’s been weird, we’ve had an arcade before so to be back it’s been very strange. I think the day we swapped it all over felt like the end of an era. We have been open for three years.”
The ‘Skeg Vegas’ amusements is open from 8.30am until 6pm every day of the week. Mrs Jones also spoke of the struggles of running the cafe in the aftermath of Covid and the current cost of living crisis. She said: “You come in and have a bit of fun without spending. The cost of living is what it is, you’ve got to do the best you can. For small businesses, they feel it more than the rest with such tight profit margins.
“We were watching the shopping going up, the electricity, then started looking at staffing costing, reduced opening hours. After covid and the living costs, it just wasn’t feasible for us to stay open. It’s crazy everybody that you speak to is all in the boat.”
The former cafe has everything from sand pits to 2p machines and teddy bear grabbers, face painting and hot drinks. The owners want to give locals something different and something fun.
Mr Jones, 43, added: “I had a couple of customers come in and said it’s absolutely unbelievable for Long Eaton, it’s something fun.
He adds that they’re almost there with completing the ‘Skeg Vegas’ look. Mr Jones said: “We’re halfway there at the minute, not fully there. People have said they love it. We’ve got a few more bits planned”.
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