Sad news guys. Another UK’s arcade scene landmark is going close, and this time for good! In fact London Trocadero (formerly Funland and SegaWorld) is set to permanently close on February 25. It’ll become a hotel (probably a Tokyo-like pods one), landlord announced recently.
As you may know, the true soul of Trocadero, the Funland arcade, died many years ago, but the building was still hosting a couple arcades at underground floor and plenty of loose cabinets scattered throughout all the other venue’s floors, including several racing games.
All the arcade owners have been given a 2-weeks notice for the final shutdown and currently most of the cabinets are for sale (but most of them are in a really bad shape, and the good ones are probably already gone).
If you have a spare afternoon, just go there to play one last game before all is gone, forever, on February 25.
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It is sad news but from it’s hay days of the venue being totally packed out with loads of activity, buzzing of people & high volume of foot traffic
It’s now 2014 & it’s so a let down :( it’s a shame no investors could revamp the location to be up with the tends of today to keep it alive.
Memorised will surely be told to the next generation & they will never be able to set foot in the place.
noooooo what about tokyo toys
its the only uk shop i know that sells cosplay
That’s what I was thinking
They are online tokyotoys.com
Glad to see its closing. The building had become a health and safety hazzard with stalls so close to escalators, escalators constantly not working and the lift blocked and filled with ladders and equipment. The only thing good about it was the Cineworld cinema, but I was put off going there by the state of the place. The landlords had let it fall into total disrepair.
Ye, it was in a really bad shape lately and everyone felt the imminent closing. But still, we wouldn’t say we’re glad to see its closing. It’s like a part of our gaming history going away, forever…
I totally understand. It’s sad on that point, but I’m glad because things had got so bad that it was becoming a matter of time before someone got hurt. Imagine a fire in there, that would have been catastrophic because lives would definitely been lost.
I agree. A real shame.
I dont understand how this has happened. With the competitive gaming scene on the rise there was a ready made venue to house such events. A trick has been missed to accommodate a luxury hotel that people living in London won’t even be able to afford to stay in.
Such an important site in many people youth, it such a shame that it was allowed to turn into such a blight on the area.
why doesn’t anybody do something!! how man gamers/ dancers/ teenagers/ lovers don’t want this place to close. Somebody should make a petition take donations get funding or convince buyers and investors to re-invest and save one of the places that we know is and always should be part of london.
I still think its not to late by putting all the people who dont want this place to made into a hotel into one voice something could happen.
Why don’t you start a petition, chocolate mouse?
http://www.change.org/petitions/criterion-capital-trocadero-management-keep-the-dance-space-open-for-dancers-or-help-us-find-an-alternative?share_id=dyPnApUEVt&utm_campaign=share_button_action_box&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition
Please sign if you don’t want it to be shut.
http://www.change.org/petitions/criterion-capital-trocadero-management-keep-the-dance-space-open-for-dancers-or-help-us-find-an-alternative?share_id=nIBdhiWEkY&utm_campaign=share_button_mobile&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition
A lot of memories here since I was a little girl.
Funland was definitely the best! I would spend most weekends there </3 The sweet shops and others were good too
Such a shame.
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Sad to hear it is closing. Used to work in funland and loved it
Remember guys there are still two great arcades in London. Las Vegas Arcade 5 minutes down the road in Soho with fighters and music games, or the Heart of Gaming (HoG) in Acton. Remember to support these venues and make the effort to play games there…
Ye, we need to support the actual arcade scene! We really don’t want to write any other article like this one about the Troc! Let’s play some games people!
I am going to work really hard to make Las Vegas better than Trocadero ever was (a legendary arcade, but lets get better in terms of quality machines over quantity) and hold regular events. Wangan 3 tournament soon and we are trying to get Initial D stage 3 from Electrocoin! Never give up! =]
Another bl….. hotel fist the Leicester square Odeon now the trod . There won’t be anything left to do in that part of London
Funland had gone years ago due to the owners of the Trocadero upping Funland’s rent. Funland choose to instead to leave. The game machine that were left was either owned by Trocadero itself or run by the other company’s. The real tragedy is the people that lost their jobs without a descent warning of closure.
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Nickelodeon used to broadcast from Trocadero. Childhood memories.