Operator adds £3m arcade to Cains development

Mikhail Hotel & Leisure Group has started construction of an amusement arcade within the Cain’s Brewery Village, with this second phase of its work at the site expected to be open in November.

Led by chairman Andrew Mikhail, the group said that the ArCains arcade “will house all old original games and virtual reality within a wholly dedicated floor as part of the ongoing redevelopment of the famous Cain’s site”. It will take up 25,000 sq ft over three floors.

In July 2018, it was announced that Mikhail had struck a deal to take forward part of the site, where brewing ceased in 2013, with a £7m investment programme over three years. The first phase, a Punch Tarmey’s Irish pub, is now operational.

A company spokesman told Place North West that the other elements of the proposal, including a microbrewery and hotel, are still progressing and will fit within MH&LG’s part of the site, but that the opportunity had arisen to introduce a further attraction with the retro arcade.

Mikhail said: “Our planned £3m investment in ArCains is part of our wider £7m plans for the strategic regeneration of Cain’s. Situated in the vicinity of Liverpool’s dynamic tech world, we believe that ArCains enhances the sector offer with more than 100 jobs being created on the back of our plans.

“Not only will it development offer the biggest selection of arcade games anywhere in Europe, our partners alongside many stakeholders in the area believe ArCains will be a significant addition to the Baltic creative offering that already exists.”

He added that the development will include pinball areas, retro arcades with a huge selection of games from the 1970s onwards, a complete floor dedicated to VR, along with pool tables, basketball, shuffle tables and much more. Mikhail said: “We believe this is the first experience of its kind in the industry enabling between 10 and 100 people to simultaneously participate as one booking.”

“ArCains will be the perfect complement to Punch Tarmey’s in Liverpool, adding potentially up to 100 further employees by the end of the year in addition to the 45 jobs already created by the Tarmey’s brand.”