Welcome to the 'Weekly Waffle'!

We aim to publish new content every week on a Sunday or Monday.

Written On 8th June  2021

Well hello my fellow fruit loops! 

What a bonkers few weeks it has been with so much chaos, a frantic race to the finish line coupled with workloads that would make the most work hungry go mad! 

The real mayhem started around the beginning of April when we discovered that Maidstone Reel Fruits carpet wasn't going to be in the UK on schedule. This was a catastrophic nightmare due to almost ALL of the machines in Maidstone being in Chatham, Tonbridge and Bognor Regis to enable the new carpet to be laid. Covid has been a disaster for most but with all of our arcades closed we seized the opportunity to refurbish Maidstone - or so we thought. When we realised the carpet wasn't going to be in the UK (from USA) we had to revert everything back. 

We had numerous machine clearances, pushers arriving every week from various arcades, huge skill games and others hauls that were mindblowing. 

During the entire pandemic we have not stopped and it has enabled us to get on with many projects that may never have seen the light of day. We have found things increasingly hard with the financial kamikaze that the virus brought and the mental minefield of keeping sane and focused.

The whole experience has not been easy for anyone that was in hospitality or leisure. There have been many undeserving families lose their livelihoods and we will never take for granted that our sheer hard work and luck has seen us through.

Everyday we woke and saw it as a fight to survive, and I promise you it was like challenge Aneka everyday, often it was so gruelling that the battle seemed long and bitter. 

Many of you that put yourselves through reading this weekly waffle will know that I say things straight, to the point and above all in honesty. We were scared that the last 11 years (12 this Novemeber) was not only going to be cut short in its tracks but 'unfinished'. We have plans that we must complete to share the ride with you all. 

Back in 2009 when Mr P's Classic Amusements was born we never ever dreamed of what it would create. Mr P's Classic Amusements and Reel Fruits are both arcades that have operated classic machines on a unique platform. We have built everything on honesty, highest percentages and our ethos of 'putting the FUN back into machines'.

So the next big thing, and this is partly the cause for the delayed waffle, is the GREAT BIG SUMMER PARTY! So dust down your glad rags, get your self ready to roll for the 28th August 2021 10am until LATE. For those still worried about COVID then we should all be vaccinated by then and all necessary restrictions (if applicable) will be adhered to but the large area out the back will be used for the all you can eat BBQ. Note for the day there will not be any parking spaces available behind the arcade. Expect a fantastic day with some party games we have NEVER presented to you all!

On the 17th of May the arcade was INSANELY busy, it was a crazy day and for me felt like a first day of opening in a fresh arcade. We had made so many machine changes that the amount of 'new classics' was possibly our BIGGEST catalogue of changes in our history.

We have more changes planned very soon, yes you did just read that correctly! We love mixing it up and with all of the games we own its nice to keep it all fresh and present different games to you all. 

We would like to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has come to see us and for all of the messages of support. A lot of the big you tube channels have already come by to see us and it has been great for many of you all to meet each other through in arcade. 

Since reopening it has been full on and phenomenal, it has been busy, fast paced and often crazy, like us!

Finally I would like to thank our team who have been working hard and helped keep our classic paradise alive. It is with much sadness that Ali (the Scottish guy that was in Bognor for a couple of weeks) has passed up on the opportunity of joining our crazy gang. We would like to thank Ali for his time with us and we are grateful for the time we worked with him. Our friendship is unaffected but he now knows first hand just how vigorous and strenuous the workload of a Mr P's workers really is!

Until next week,

Keep smiling, and never stop believing.

Dave, Amelia, Ruby and Scarlett xxxx