Want to spend the night playing Pac-man or Goldeneye 007? Retro gaming bars are becoming more popular and now a Newcastle property has been targeted by retro bar chain NQ64.
Boasting arcade games like Space Invaders and Guitar Hero across its chain, NQ64 has the former Intermezzo bar on Pilgrim Street, Newcastle in its sights. This will join two bars in Manchester, along with establishments in Birmingham, Liverpool (where the accompanying video was filmed), and Cardiff.
The Newcastle retro gaming bar will be part of a three bar investment expanding NQ64 into Edinburgh, Birmingham, and Leeds, thanks to a £1.4m investment by leisure investor Imbiba. A licence application to Newcastle City Council states opening times of 7am to 2.30am, and 7am to 1am on Sundays.
Launched in Manchester, NQ64 takes its name from the city’s Northern Quarter, where the original bar is based. NQ64 premises mix original consoles with arcade machines, giving gamers the chance to play SNES, Nintendo 64, and PlayStation games alongside the arcade classics. Fancy a drink and a game of Sonic the Hedgehog? Soon you can do it in a Newcastle bar.
Canny!
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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.