Christian Cawley is a writer and editor who covers consumer electronics, IT, and entertainment media. He has written for publications such as Computer Weekly, Linux Format, MakeUseOf.com, and Tech Radar.
He also produces podcasts, has a cigar box guitar, and of course, loves retro gaming.
Some say the best thing about Halifax’s Piece Hall is the space; others say it is the live music; some love the eateries. Others still will opine about how the location has doubled for so many places on earth and beyond in all manner of movies.
To me, visiting the Piece Hall meant going to Blast From The Past, a retro arcade full of great games… which is now sadly set to close.
A few years ago I spent a whole day wandering around Halifax in West Yorkshire, England, to see what was on offer for retro fans, and I found quite a lot! But now, with the impending closure of Blast From The Past, Halifax is losing a big reason to visit.
The end of Blast From The Past
Proprietor Ryan shared the news on Facebook last week:
For me, this is the most important portion of the post:
I’ve put my entire heart and soul into creating this tribute to the past, and I hope it’s been just as special of a place to you all as it has been to me! I wanted to bring something different to Halifax, not only a true classic arcade with original machines, but a place that was incredibly welcoming and had all the bells and whistles to make you feel like a kid again. And to show the next generation of kids where video games all began and what other incredible things came out of the 70s & 80s!
I’ve always given my all to the arcade to bring you the best experience possible, exactly how you remembered it being; no emulation, no flats screens, no replicas, no corners cut, just original 80s gaming fun. I’d say I successfully created a place not only unique to Halifax, but different to any arcade you’ve ever been too or ever will!
My literally blood, sweat and tears have gone into the restoration and continuous maintenance of all my machines, to keep them alive and operating as best as I can make them! I love this arcade and my machines so much, I’m extremely proud of them for operating so well and taking another beating after 40+ years when they really should be enjoying their retirement!
I hope those machines are going to good homes. Blast From The Past has been a great little arcade, and while the Piece Hall is clearly geared towards independents and arts, it’s such a shame that Ryan has been hit so hard by the live performances in the square. Other businesses have also cited concerns over live shows hitting profits, so hopefully there is a balance to be found… sadly, it won’t help fans of retro arcades.
Blast From The Past will close on the August Bank Holiday, Monday 25th. If you can, get yourself to Halifax!
Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through those links. This comes at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Christian Cawley is a writer and editor who covers consumer electronics, IT, and entertainment media. He has written for publications such as Computer Weekly, Linux Format, MakeUseOf.com, and Tech Radar.
He also produces podcasts, has a cigar box guitar, and of course, loves retro gaming.
