BARCADIA: Here comes a new challenger!


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frot_hat_gaming
6 months ago

Good to see Tom on the BBC yesterday.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-67407712

Betacord
7 months ago

Just had a look at the website to see if they had any events planned and look at this on the 10th of October!

“Our film quizzes have gone down so well, we thought it was time to try something that fits perfectly with the walls of our arcade bar…. A GAMING QUIZ. Hosted by the folks that brought you Did You Know Gaming, get ready for four rounds of game trivia. We’re talking everything from Donkey Kong to Xybots. Compete to win a £40 Barcadia voucher to spend as you wish! As usual, our fully licenced bar will be open, serving drinks, cocktails and our food menu! £2 entry per person, with maximum teams of 4. Arrive early to avoid disappointment!”

Are we going to rent a coach and go down then?

Bert
7 months ago
Reply to  George

Haha brilliant.

Pub quiz doesn’t suggest things are going too well. Having to put on events to get the punters in, what next, Bingo?

Do you need a licence for such things? is a quiz gambling?

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Nobody
Nobody
7 months ago

So what IS Ashens, a owner or just a Backer? I went to check out the old Kickstarter page and went to see the top tier and see the Ashens profile logo. Were these backers the final people to throw in those last minute donations? https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nostalgianerd/barcadia-arcade-bar/rewards

Betacord
7 months ago
Reply to  George

I check a lot of Companies House records at work, it’s rare for documents not to show by next day. Even then they will show up as a record but that the documents are not yet available. Can take about a week for paper submissions but barely anyone bothers with those. Only reason he’s set it up as a limited company is so when it all inevitably folds he won’t have any personal liability for the debts, hopefully he’s done like a lot of suckers do and signed the lease in his personal name before the company was set up!

Bert
7 months ago
Reply to  Betacord

TBH, you’d be a fool to have any kind of business on the high street and not have a limited company. They can seize pretty much everything to pay off creditors in the event of bankruptcy. My father’s business went under in the 1980s and the house got sold off to pay for the debt. Wasn’t a great time, my parents divorced as well. Thankfully I had my C64 and games to get lost in.

Nobody
Nobody
7 months ago
Reply to  Betacord

Something about the thing really is sketchy, but I can’t put my finger on what. I don’t know what these people all have to prove to open a shit-stink hole like that, as it looks so bare bones for a place that had that much extra cash to start them off. It looks cheaply thrown together like the type of pub that is set up purely to sell blow jobs and cocaine out the back door, (not saying Ferret Fucker is doing that, but looks like those places that are a front for something) also I don’t know if Dazz and Ashens have been dupped by it and if they are shareholders, their names not being listed with the business, wouldn’t they get shit all for payout unless they trust the word of Peter Prick to pay them their share out of his pocket? If that’s the case I hope he fucks the idiots over as I wouldn’t trust that tofu dick shitbag with a couple of pence on a tea run.

Thanks for the coverage of this and the other stuff about these bloody circus clowns.

Bert
7 months ago
Reply to  Nobody

It seems like they’ve done the bare minimum to open and now the hearts gone out of it. Either realisation that running a bar is hard work or the souring of his relationship with Sam. The fact he’s resurrected youtube is a pretty good sign the place won’t exist by next year.

chithecynic
chithecynic
7 months ago

…and as for NN, wow. I just had a look at his Patreon numbers and he’s back to 2017 levels of income, the only difference being that in 2017, he was still growing – now he’s tanking, big time. I think one of the things I find most offensive about him is that he clearly considered he was meant for bigger and better things and effectively turned his back on the one thing he’d actually managed to make money from. Now that he’s tried that – and failed, massively – he’s trying to mount a return to YouTube, but it’s too late. He’s pissed off a lot of people and they’re not coming back.

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Bert
7 months ago
Reply to  chithecynic

Like all retro channels, he has run out of content. There’s only so much retro content online and unless you have a great memory for the past or a huge supply of computer books and magazines you aren’t going to be making videos for very long.

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chithecynic
chithecynic
7 months ago
Reply to  Bert

Yeah, exactly. One of the few channels I still enjoy is Cathode Ray Dude – because he does proper research into the subject matter. It’s not some flimsy Wikipedia guff that anyone who look up, he goes and finds the original manuals and blueprints for the stuff he looks at, and he nearly always manages to get the actual hardware he’s discussing (repairing it, too, when he has to). As a result, his videos are often the only easily consumable content you can find online about those things. I can respect that, even though – as he freely admits – some of the stuff he looks at predated his existence. If you’re going to make videos about stuff you don’t personally remember, you kinda have to do that? Otherwise… what, really, is the point?

Bert
7 months ago
Reply to  chithecynic

I think sometimes magazines and books are biased or wrong. There’s no substitute for experience. In some cases you’ll never get that experience as the hardware is too rare. Like who can realistically make a video on a Commodore C65? few own them, they weren’t officially released. Now you can get hold of a Mega C65 but that’s not exactly the same.

Bert
7 months ago
Reply to  chithecynic

A channel I found a while ago is MikeTech. Not sure how old he is but he seems to have a lot of enthusiasm for old PC stuff. Only on about 15k subs, so still starting out. CPU Galaxy is another, but he’s gone quiet of late.

chithecynic
chithecynic
7 months ago

I wish Tom all the success in the world, this looks like an honest, for-the-people kind of enterprise and he deserves to do well. On the basis of his prices and the buzz he had for the opening day, he should prosper. Good on him.

abone
7 months ago

My kind of place. Beer, £6/hr to faff about on games, simple grub allowing background watching of better gamers, and more beer.

T. Rollin
7 months ago
Reply to  abone

You forgot the best part… the grub is cheese toasties. What more does someone need than beer, gaming and toasties?

Jambon
Jambon
7 months ago

I see the “Nostalgia Nerd” and Slops are guests at Play Blackpool this year. Last year they had the likes of Tim Follin and Dan Malone. Hopefully the Wereferret can do a bit better than “My name is Peter Leigh. Do you want some more?” this time (https://www.funkyspectrum.com/?p=12457)

Bert
7 months ago
Reply to  Jambon

That’s kinda what’s wrong with the retro scene. Too many events invite youtubers who talk about retro stuff rather than the actual creators of the tech and games. The Revival, Zzap and Crash live events have all the actual games devs talking, some of them such as Malcolm Evans (trashman) were completely taken aback at how people remembered his games.

When I go to a retro event I want to hear from the pioneers, not people with pie between their ears.

I imagine going to a US event and it’s the 8-bit guy or Perifractic on the stage. I’d probably get thrown out asking them a question, “Have you written your full AI yet David?”.

Bert
7 months ago
Reply to  George

I mean, I think the 8-bit guy is a bit of an idiot and arrogant but he can at least code so he’ll have something to talk about. But if you just made videos then all you can do is talk about yourself and making videos, that’s not what a retro game panel is all about. I’d sooner if they had guests from the modern era they got people who make hardware or modern games.

T. Rollin
7 months ago
Reply to  Bert

I don’t the organizers of a typical US event such as VCF would even return NN’s emails or DMs, especially when they regularly attract A-listers such as Bil Herd and Leonard Tramiel.

Bert
7 months ago
Reply to  T. Rollin

Would he even go to the US? I expect he wouldn’t fly out of principle, too much pollution etc..

Gordon Ramsays left eyebrow
Gordon Ramsays left eyebrow
7 months ago
Reply to  Jambon

With Barcadia hemorrhaging money hand over fist, and the Nerd’s Pareons leaving in droves, and his viewing figures falling off a cliff, every little penny helps I guess. Wonder if he declares his appearance money on his tax return….

Bert
7 months ago

I imagine many of these guests ask for cash in hand.

Bert
7 months ago

Wow, just checked out socialblade for the ferret. With income figures like that he’ll be under the personal allowance, no taxes paid.

Gordon Ramsays left eyebrow
Gordon Ramsays left eyebrow
7 months ago

So, your opening a new business venture.
Do you appeal to the widest demograph possible, with ultra competetive prices, or do you appeal to a tiny narrow spectrum of the population, and attempt to fleece them for all they are worth?
Tough choice….
Wonder which will survice more than a year……

Bert
7 months ago

Niche businesses can work. After all, there’s no competition right? But you can be so niche as to have very few people to pay your rent.

P. Ness
P. Ness
7 months ago

It’s on the same street as Peter’s ‘office’, the Circle Jerk HQ. Just a few minutes walk.

Betacord
7 months ago
Reply to  George

With who he currently shares a bed with, it might end up being more like ‘The Rats’!
Film version obviously, nobody is ever going to be writing the book.

B3tan_Tyronne
7 months ago

Like others, I had a look over their website and noticed that not only are the prices incredibly reasonable, but also benefits from catering for everybody rather than one demographic.
I wish them all the best and would gladly visit should I ever visit Norwich, where I would only walk past Barcadia, look in and then avoid.

Bert
7 months ago
Reply to  B3tan_Tyronne

The stench of vegan farts coming from Barcadia should be enough to put you off going in.

T. Rollin
7 months ago

Norwich now has 3 retro arcade venues? That’s an awful lot of shitty zombies for Alan Partridge to fight.

Bert
7 months ago

What what? where was the kickstarter for this place? Oh they opened it themselves with their own money? wow!

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frot_hat_gaming
7 months ago

If only someone had pointed out all of the possible pitfalls before they started on the Barcadia endeavour.

We are just as culpable as Mr Cherry Blair’s smile because we just sat on our hands when it was all going on. We should be ashamed of ourselves for not highlighting the potential issues whilst they had a chance to can the project and avoid huge personal and financial embarrassment. We should speak up more in future.

Bert
7 months ago

There was like a gazillion questions from backers and they censored them all, almost like they didn’t want to learn.

RUSH
7 months ago

So this is the THIRD retro gaming themed arcade/cafe joint? Fuck me, how many do they need? Either way, it’s over for Barcadia.

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Bert
7 months ago
Reply to  George

You just know what happened. He probably had an irate customer complaining about the machines or the food, Pete made to look very small and he didn’t like it. “I’m the Nostalgia Nerd, don’t you know who I am” etc..

GtB
GtB
7 months ago
Reply to  George

What will he be begging for next? Why the book telling the full behind then scenes story of Barcadia of course! Maybe he could get that well-reknowned author Octavius to ghostwrite it!

Bert
7 months ago
Reply to  GtB

It’ll be a book about relationships and how to run a successful kickstarter campaign.

One day maybe someone will cover this whole saga, or not. Slops seems to be staying clear of it.

JamesP
7 months ago

When whatever lease he signed is up it will be closed and all references to it will be removed from the internet so he can pretend it never happened

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Bert
7 months ago
Reply to  JamesP

Unfortunately for him there will be accounts submitted to HMRC and available on the companies check sites for us all to see. We’ll soon see if a £25,000 black hole in the finances of the board game place magically disappeared.

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Jambon
Jambon
7 months ago

Thanks for the vid. The menu prices for this new place are very telling – it’s clearly aimed at regular people, rather than hipsters and young people who can’t think of anywhere else to go on a date. There’s nothing wrong with the humble toastie. (They used to sell those at the National Videogame Museum when it was in Nottingham and they went down a storm.)
Also, i had a look on Google maps and you’re probably a million times less likely to get your head kicked in on your way to and from this new place compared to the horrible, seedy part of town in which Barcadia is located.

Bert
7 months ago
Reply to  Jambon

Yep. Not having a vegan option on the menu keeps a load of annoying permanently offended tssers out of your establishment and stops them ruining the atmosphere.

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T. Rollin
7 months ago
Reply to  Jambon

I’m a little surprised at how sparse Albion Gaming’s menu is, and I’m also a little curious as to how they’ll turn a profit given how inexpensive their items are. It comes across as more like a social hub for gamers that just happens to serve food and drink than a full-on arcade or themed pub.
Good on them for offering something genuinely different to the Norwich gaming community and I wish them success.

T. Rollin
7 months ago
Reply to  George

Charging an hourly rate per screen seems like a pretty good business model, and probably explains how they can keep their customers fed and watered for such a reasonable price.
As for the limited menu… that’s probably a good thing in some ways, as it’d keep kitchen costs to a bare minimum.
The more I hear about Tom and Albion Gaming, the more I like the cut of his jib.

Bert
7 months ago
Reply to  T. Rollin

It’s sustenance, helps people keep hunger at bay to they stay in the shop.

Barcadia couldn’t quite work out what was the focus, the cabs, the food or the bar. The cabs seem to be unreliable, the food is overpriced for being junk food and the bar? couldn’t tell you but I’d imagine it’s not somewhere you go to get bladdered.

Boingalot
7 months ago

I was only thinking the other day, how much longer has that place got?
A niche pub with a bit of plastic vine tacked up. Can’t last for too long.

ChinnyVision
ChinnyVision
7 months ago
Reply to  Boingalot

It will last until the first round of large annual bills or it will have a half arsed ‘relaunch’ and limp on for 6 months more.

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ChinnyVision
ChinnyVision
7 months ago
Reply to  George

Oh I’m not saying a relaunch where they address all the issues. I’m suggesting the kind half arsed thing failing radio stations do just before they go bust. Or Commodore with the CD32. We’re sinking but we’ve quickly slung together this old shit which will be sure to save us!

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Bert
7 months ago
Reply to  ChinnyVision

A bit harsh on the CD32. It was selling well and were it not for Commodore operating on cash terms then loads of stock stuck in warehouses in the Philippines, Hong Kong etc. could have been sold. The US division had tanked, Commodore UK was solvent.

T. Rollin
7 months ago
Reply to  ChinnyVision

Or like when MG Rover imported that horrible little shitbox from India and slapped a CityRover badge on it.

Bert
7 months ago
Reply to  ChinnyVision

Yet there’s loads of EV MGs around now and people seem to like them. Of course an EV isn’t for people who really cared about having a fancy car anyway.

Bert
7 months ago
Reply to  George

You never know, he might do another kickstarter to “relocate it”. Have they bought any cabs yet or are they still renting them?

Turnarcades
Turnarcades
7 months ago
Reply to  Bert

They were supplied by someone who also dumped a load into the crowdfunding campaign as a way to bolster the grift, effectively shilling for them. They were trying to put spare, less-loved cabs to work for them that weren’t being used in other ventures, hence why they are poorly maintained. Cabs were offered based on last relations and a belief his following might possibly carry the business for a while, rather than going all in on another venture with their own machines they chucked a few quid their way to help create artificial interest in the crowdfunding, but kept their risk down by giving them weak machines and not maintaining them at the level of commitment they otherwise would do. If it did well they got a cheap entry and money off the back of the cabs, but if it flips they’ve lost very little. Shilling is just another part of the grift.

P. Ness
P. Ness
7 months ago
Reply to  Boingalot

I hadn’t seen the current Barcadia opening hours.
I hope Sam is making Peter work there every hour it’s open. It’s not like he’s got anything else worthwhile to do.
He can use the numerous days they’re closed to work on his little YouTube hobby.

Bert
7 months ago
Reply to  George

Sam, despite her use of kickstarter herself did seem to be the brains behind the business and probably isn’t afraid of some graft. She clearly thought the ferret would actually do some hard work and not doss about.

T. Rollin
7 months ago
Reply to  Bert

I almost feel sorry for Sam. She’s obviously not afraid of putting in the work required to run a business, but getting mixed up with NN led to some bad choices. By the time the whole Barcadia enterprise falls over, she’ll be back to square one financially with only a bruised reputation to show for it.

If she goes back to the board game cafe business full-time, maybe she should watch what Tom does with Albion Games and take some inspiration.

Bert
7 months ago
Reply to  Bert

You can sort of see how it all happened. NN turned up one day, saw a vegan business, a lady who is attractive enough and he thought he’d get in there. “I’m an influencer with a big youtube channel” etc.. Like most people they see 500,000 subscribers and think “If I could get £2 from each of those it’s a million quid”.