The Student was delighted to receive a press pass to the opening of Roxy Lanes Rose Street, a brand new arcade bar right in the heart of the city.
November 17 was one of the wettest evenings of the year so far, so what better way to spend it than inside Edinburgh’s latest bar and entertainment centre? From the outside it is fairly unassuming, but once down the stairs, the arcade seems to expand on in every direction under blue and purple light.
We were met at reception by friendly staff that recommended some options for the evening and then gave my friend Vivianne and I a tour of the centre. It includes karaoke pods, bowling lanes, ice-free curling, a batting cage, beer-pong, pool-tables, shuffleboard, and soon duck-pin bowling that (a variation where the pins, alley, and ball are scaled down for extra fun).
Staff all voiced how happy they were to finally be open. This is the thirteenth Roxy arcade, but the first in Scotland for the chain that started in Leeds.
After heading to the well-stocked bar for a pint of the house beer, we played a game of shuffleboard. They have both an original shuffleboard with its 9ft wooden table and a smaller compact arcade version. It was my first time ever playing and I found it challenging at first, but soon honed my technique and enjoyed how competitive it could get.
Next up was the ice-free curling. Much easier than real curling and also much less cold! The “stones” effortlessly glided down the lane as if it had been much colder and a live camera showed you where it had landed from an eagle eye view. With only two lanes, it is not Roxy Lanes’ top attraction but adds a fun Scottish twist to the arcade. It would be suitable for groups of up to 6 and when you are not playing has benches around to relax with a drink or try some of Roxy Lanes’ food.
There were some tasters that were available to try. Roxy Lanes is not a gastronomical destination but has very standard and tasty arcade snacks like fries, mac n cheese bites, and hotdogs. You can also get Italian style pizzas which were very tasty, with flavours including buffalo chicken, garlic sausage, and nacho.
After refuelling we headed to the batting cage. It took a while to queue for considering the arcade was so busy, but you can book a slot for any of the activities you want to do. I was completely useless at this one! For more skilled players, however, there are challenges like trying to hit the ball off cymbals that hang from the ceiling for different amounts of points.
Roxy Lanes was certainly a enjoyable way to spend the evening but what is it like to go as a student outside of the opening event?
They do not offer any student deals, but there is off-peak pricing Sunday to Wednesday. The pricing is similar to other arcade bars such as Lane 7 with bowling being £9/£10 per person at off-peak and peak times. Many of the activities charge per group per session such as the curling which is £14/£15 for half an hour, so the more friends you bring the cheaper it becomes. The most expensive activities are the karaoke pods and the batting cage which are each priced at £24/£30 per half hour.
Talking to assistant manager Rhys about who the target market was he said: “people who love indie music, good cocktails but want something a bit different to booze all night, who want to play games and get competitive.”
I would definitely go back to Roxy Lanes with a big group of friends to share the fun. It is the perfect place for a flat night out or a birthday celebration that is more than just a night on the town. If you see me in the batting cage again though, you may want to cover your eyes…
Photo Credit: press image provided by Roxy Lane, used with permission. Other images provided by Alexa Sambrook, used with permission.