Hastings attraction forced to leave Owens site set to reopen at new venue

Soar Tour, which was based on the top floor of Owens in the former Debenhams building in Robertson Street, was forced to close when the games arcade suddenly shut its doors ‘until further notice’ in November last year.

The attraction offered a virtual seven-minute flight over 1066 Country using virtual reality technology.

But Alex Hedger, from Pop Up Attractions Ltd, which operates Soar Tour, said the company has spent the last six months rebuilding its attractions to make them ‘bigger and better’.

He said: “It was an unexpected shame to need to move out with no notice, given all of the money I had spent on creating our two attractions in the building – both were incredibly popular and well-reviewed on TripAdvisor. Our Oddities Museum was actually the number one thing to do on there for quite a few months.

“That said, they say ‘everything happens for a reason’ and we’ve spend the last six months rebuilding them in a new venue in Hastings. They’ll actually be even bigger and better this time and form quite a comprehensive new attraction for the town, which will including an Oddity Museum, theatrical cocktail bar and restaurant, as well as a new type of really unusual themed attraction.”

As yet no date has been announced on when the revamped attraction will reopen.

Last November, Owens said its venue at the former Debenhams building is expected to be remain shut for ‘up to a year’.

Parent company, CFEC, announced on November 30 last year that the attraction would ‘undergo a full ‘multi-million pound redevelopment’ in the New Year.

On its website it said: “We remain closed for a full redevelopment of Owens Entertainment to bring more new and exciting entertainment to the Hastings community and its visitors.

“If you have any current bookings with us, please email [email protected] with your booking email and reference to receive a gift voucher that can be spent when the centre reopens.

“We remain committed to Hastings, and are working extremely hard to move forward with the building upgrade.”

Owens was opened in October 2022 by husband and wife duo Graham and Debbie Owen, the creators of Phileas Fogg's World of Adventures, which was awarded Tourist Attraction of the Year for Sussex.