In Northern Ireland, a new indoor laser tag arena is opening at Newtown Abbey under the Airtastic brand next month.
A "War of the Worlds" theme will dominate the location over the upper floor of the venue with three party rooms. Airtastic will be in Mill Road, in the town and will follow the recent opening of a similar location by Airtastic in Lisburn. The location also has bowling, soft play, arcade and diner.
Another Northern Ireland project is the future of the Dunluce Centre at Portrush, which has been sold for £1.25m. The former tourist attraction, which closed in 2013 due to falling visitor numbers, has been sold to local businessman Colm O’Donnell and will be turned into a family entertainment centre with rides, arcade, soft play, mini-golf and F&B.
A former Debenhams department store at Wrexham could be turned into a trampoline park after standing empty for three years. The store at the Eagles Meadow shopping centre is the subject of an application by the centre’s owners who have been in talks with a company planning to use the first floor of the building for the park.
If the plans are approved then a new entrance would be built on the first floor balcony of the complex. More entertainment in the mall would help revive the location as the local Marks & Spencer store also moved out last year to a new location on the edge of the city. Now footfall in the city centre is reported to be down by 40 per cent.
Another former Debenhams store - this time in Birmingham - now features 23 interactive football boxes and four bars across two floors. It is a new, competitive socialising experience with football-based gaming from operator TOCA Social. Each box acommodates 12 players who can play football, use soccer tables, access an arcade or use selfie booths.
In Scotland, a new furore has erupted over the Flamingo Land project at Loch Lomond. The proposed resort has been a long-running dispute with local protesters who object to the scheme. Planners have now backed the bid by a consortium planning to inject £40m into the 46-acre site with hotel, lodges, water park, car parking, restaurants and retail.
Also in Scotland, a plan to move an East Lothian family park to a new site has hit the headlines. The East Links Family Park at Dunbar would move to East Fortune. Local campaigners are objecting to the scheme, stating that local council projections on its viability are flawed. Operating company Grant Bell is behind the applicaton.
Meanwhile in Wales an aerial attraction is being planned. The Skyline Swansea project, if approved, will include a zipline and gondola at Kilvey Hill, near Swansea.
