EXCLUSIVE
The UK’s first pinball museum is set to open in Ramsgate.
Index fingers will be at the ready when The Pinball Parlour, at number two Addington Street, becomes the town’s latest tourist attraction.
More than 30 machines from the past and present will buzz and ping their way into action when co-owners and pinball devotees Peter Heath and Geoff Harvey, both 52, fling the doors open to the public.
King of the high scores, Peter Heath said: “We officially open on Saturday, May 23 in time for summer and hope it will be the start of something special here.
As far as we can work out this is the first museum of its kind in the country, although all the machines here are totally playable not being kept in glass cases.”
The premises has long been a home to Geoff and Peter’s business repairing and restoring the machines and for 17 years they dreamed of opening a museum.
However, when the previous owner left the pair decided the time was right to turn the place from Granny’s Attic antique shop into The Pinball Parlour and bought the place for themselves.
Peter said: “When the antiques shop closed it was a case of buy it for ourselves or leave. As it was ideal for what we wanted to do it was the logical step to take and we’ll carry on witht he repairs and restoration work.”
With machines dating back from the true inception of pinball, through to its golden age in the 50s, 60s and 70s to more current day hi-tech machines, flipper-happy fans of the silver ball will be in heaven.
All the machines, some of which are very rare, have been especially adapted to take Pinball Parlour tokens by Geoff and Peter.
It is not just pinball fans that they are aiming to entice through the doors though.
Peter explained: “We have a lot of space here so it’s ideal for hiring as a birthday party. We did a trial run for my daughter’s 13th birthday party and they had a blast.”
The front of the parlour will serve as a small café and steps up to the hall area hold the machines.
The Pinball Parlour will also hire machines to those who want to use them for a party or event.
Peter and Geoff wiil drop off and collect the machine of your choice.
To enquire about hiring the venue or a machine, call Peter Heath on 07966217295 or email peteheath123@hotmail.com.
POSTED: 05/05/2009 13:00:00
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