A retro-gaming arcade which started on just £500, has opened in Croydon after a year-long wait.

The Heart of Gaming, owned by Mike Sterkey has opened its doors on the top floor of the Whitgift Centre to budding gamers, with the aim to offer a more ‘community and family feel’.

Mike said: “We take a big interest in the community. It is not just retro-games we want to bring in families, adults and kids. We want to bring in younger people to play games, and have the more retro games, that older people can recognise too. We want to push the idea of everybody existing in the public environment.”

The arcade started four years ago, as the  much-loved Trocadero arcade in central London closed its doors.

He added: “The business started with just £500 pounds. The machines came from Trocadero, people make the journey to come here. They come from all over the country. It is very overwhelming, people jump into taxis from Heathrow and come straight over. More and more people are finding their way to a video game.”

Popular games include the nostalgic street fighter and dance revolution.

A family of two adults and children can spend the day there for £20.

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