A NEW gaming arcade will be opening in Bradford city centre in the coming weeks, and will feature a huge array of vintage and modern games.

Flashback Arcade will open in the former loading bay building of the Telegraph & Argus, on Drake Street opposite Bradford Crown Court.

A planning application to turn the building’s first floor into a retro arcade was submitted to Bradford Council by Mohammed Patel earlier this year.

It said the business would include retro arcade machines, air hockey tables and a cafe area.

Approving the application late last month, planning officers said: “The application proposes to bring a new leisure use into this city centre location which will add to the vitality and viability of the city centre.”

There would be no gambling machines in the new business.

After the planning approval Mr Patel told the Telegraph & Argus the plan was to have the business open later this month, and retro gaming decals have been added to the building in preparation.

However, unlike the days where you had to visit arcades with pockets heavy with loose change, those visiting the new arcade will pay an entry fee - and then have unlimited use of the games.

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Adults pay £15 while under 16s pay £10. Under 5s have free entry if they are accompanied by an adult.

Around £250,000 has been spent on the machines for the business, with some imported from as far as Japan.

Other games will be one of just a handful of machines in Europe.

As well as traditional vintage games like Street Fighter II, Pac-Man Smash and Mortal Kombat II, the arcade will feature immersive games such as Lost Land Adventure and Star Wars Battle Pod.

Hugely popular in the 1980s and early 90s, the number of arcades declined as home gaming systems became more affordable.

But in recent years there has been a big resurgence in arcades - with retro gaming centres opening across the country.

The Telegraph & Argus announced last year that it had sold its iconic Hall Ings headquarters to a developer.

Much of newspaper’s operations have moved to Rooley Lane, with offices in the restored Grade II listed former West Bowling Golf Club building and a neighbouring new build unit.

The paper is also retaining a city centre base, which will include office space and its extensive archives, in a section of the Hall Ings building.

The rest of the building is being marketed as business or leisure use and work is underway to repair and refurbish the features on the Listed building - which is next to St George’s Hall.

The arcade is the latest leisure business to gain planning permission to open in the city centre.

A Ninja Warrior activity centre is due to open in an empty unit in the Broadway Shopping Centre, while a “virtual reality experience” is coming to the former Boyes store in North Parade.

And a long empty office building on Hustlergate is due to be converted into an escape room.