A MINIATURE bowling alley is at the heart of a £250,000 revamp of an amusement arcade at Adventure Island.

The Mega City Arcade has re-opened with the bowling alley, games machines, a cafe and a gift shop, in an overhaul which bosses say has been twoand-a-half years in the making.

The improvements were unveiled just in time for the Easter holidays, in a boost for families in the city.

Philip Miller MBE, owner of Adventure Island, said: “We are pleased to finally re-open Mega City.

It was a project Marc Miller, our managing director, started two-and-a-half years ago, before the Covid pandemic.

Echo:

“He has created a family entertainment centre that caters for our visitors and Southend customer base as well. We have combined mini bowling lanes, a mixture of fun machines, a themed souvenir shop, and a very comfortable cafe area with leather padded seats “We opened last weekend in time for the Easter holidays and were greeted with a good amount of footfall.

“The facilities also allow 20 per cent discount to all of our annual pass holders, either from Adventure Island or Sealife Adventure.”

Bosses at the park shared images on social media of the games, attractions and cafe areas of the new arcade on the seafront.

Carole Mulroney, councillor responsible for culture and tourism, gave the move her full support, saying that the park owners knew the tourism business - and the need to keep venues fresh - better than anyone.

She said: “I think it shows Adventure Island has confidence in Southend going forward with its recovery after the pandemic.

“With a business like this, you have to revamp parts now and again to keep it fresh for the customers.

“The owners obviously think Southend is worth investing in and this has come just in time for the summer holidays.”

She added that it was good to see investment of any kind that would going to benefit the residents and visitors to the seafront.