Sadness as Harbour Lights Amusements in Fleetwood announces it is to close

Harbour Lights Amuements, based on The Esplanade close to the Knott End ferry slipway, made the announcement on its Facebook page.

The statement, issued on Sunday afternoon (February 25), was greeted with sadness by customers and residents alike.

Many in the town associate the arcade to the fondly-remembered former Fleetwood Pier, which burnt down in 2008, as in previous years the pier had been run by the Stefani family, who still run the arcade.

The latest statement said: “With deep sadness, we announce tonight that Harbour Lights Amusements will be closing its doors for good after 40 years and more.

"Despite our best efforts, including temporarily closing the arcade in late 2018 and reopening in early 2019 with a more equipped space, surviving the COVID era, and maintaining our position as the cheapest arcade in the North West, factors like the energy and cost of living crises have led us to reevaluate our opening times.

"Considering school timetables, it became apparent that we would have been closed more often than open, which greatly upset us given our part-time nature and the corresponding wages.

“After consulting with our team, we believe it's only fair to announce that Sunday April 14 2024 will mark our final day of trading.

"We will, of course, honor any outstanding tickets between our Friday opening and to the date of closure.

"As a family-run arcade, this decision brings immense sadness not only to us but also to our loyal customers, both young and old, and to all former and current staff members.

“We kindly ask everyone to share this message with their family and friends so they are aware of our closure and have the opportunity to redeem any saved redemption tickets before our final day of trading. Thank you for your support throughout the years.”

Regarding the future of the arcade premises once it is vacated, the Stefani family will explore renting out the space.

They added: “We hope to attract something positive for our beautiful esplanade.

Almost 500 people responded with various messages or likes on the Facebook site.