Astro City in Southend has been named the UK’s best arcade in a new top ten published by the Daily Mirror, which based its ranking on size, machine counts and game variety, with the list also christening Great Yarmouth “the ultimate hotspot for gamers.”
The Daily Mirror has published a new ranking of the UK’s top ten amusement arcades based on size, machine count, and game variety, with Astro City in Southend-on-Sea named the best in the country.
The rating system used data analysed by Live Casino, and placed Astro City above venues in resorts such as Southsea, Weston, Whitby, and Sandown, while Great Yarmouth was named “the ultimate hotspot for gamers.”
“Experts have crunched the numbers to find the UK’s ultimate seaside arcades based on machine counts and game variety,” reported the Mirror. “Astro City in Southend-on-Sea has taken the crown with a near-perfect score of 9.85 out of 10. The Golden Horseshoe in Southsea grabbed the silver medal, while Wellington Pier in Great Yarmouth secured third place.”
NQ64 in Cardiff took fourth place, above ArCains in Liverpool and The Arcade Warehouse South Shields, in fifth and sixth respectively. Funland Whitby landed seventh place, followed by Gold Rush Great Yarmouth, Sandown Pier, and the Grand Pier in Weston-super-Mare.
“Great Yarmouth is the ultimate hotspot for gamers, holding three top spots, while NQ64 Cardiff wins for the best game variety. Racing games rule the coast, with Mario Kart officially named the most popular game in the country.”
Welcoming the new ranking, a spokesperson for Bacta said: “It’s brilliant to see multiple Bacta member venues recognised among the UK’s best seaside arcades.”
“From Sandown to Southsea, Great Yarmouth to Weston-super-Mare, our members continue to provide world-class entertainment experiences for millions of visitors each year. Congratulations to everyone featured in the Top Ten!”
Originally published on Coinslot on July 6, 2026. Republished with permission.