Next month, a former nightclub just off Oxford Street will open as a Soho bar, with a load of retro arcade games. And by retro, I don’t mean, 5 years old, but proper old school retro, the sort of retro that only people in the 30s and above will recognise.
And it’s for adults only.
So expect to try and remember how to play Ms Pac-Man, Mortal Combat, Double Dragon, Galaga, Tekken, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, to name just a few. The decor is lots of neon and big bold colours, so very 1980s.
Manchester outlet (c) NQ64
Due to be opening sometime next month, the NQ64 will be aiming for the drinks and games market, being open until the very early hours and being basically a Soho bar with games consoles. There’s no entry fee to get into the games/bar, but you buy tokens to play the games plus of course the drinks.
As a Soho bar, they’re having a very not at all games arcade dress code though – so you need to be smart / casual. No tracksuits or jogging bottoms. Smart shorts (no sport ones) are fine.
The retro games arcade is a temporary tenant in the basement site, as the entire block facing Oxford Street is due to be redeveloped at some point. Planning permission for that was granted in early 2020. The site, close to the Oxford Street end of Berwick Street, was the home of Ballie Ballerson, an adult-themed ballpit nightclub, but it closed last year.
It’s Mortal *K*ombat
And I know it’s in Soho but I dunno about having to dress up to go to an arcade
False. If you find out we women are there you know you and other men will be there dressed to the nines by nightfall, harassing us while we’re just there to play DigDug and listen to Duran Duran.