Owens Entertainment fully opens its doors creating 100 new jobs in Hastings
This press release was issued in November 2022. The entertainment centre is currently closed and updates will be shared on the blog when available.
Owens Entertainment, the new indoor entertainment centre in the old Debenhams building in Hastings, has recently opened its doors.
Owens was added to the Hastings Town Deal programme in the summer of 2022. Towns Funding of £400,000 was awarded to Moxie Management and Owens, of this £250,000 was for Moxie Management and £150,000 to Owens, so they could create 100 new jobs totalling 35 FTE positions.
The next Generation of entertainment venues comes to Hastings
After a successful four-week soft launch, the centre now has most of its attractions and activities open for people of all ages to come and enjoy. Located right in the heart of Hastings, Owens is providing much-needed entertainment for families and children to enjoy all year round whatever the weather.
With 20 different fun and unique experiences set over three floors and 77,000 square feet of floor space, the attractions vary from Ten Pin Bowling, a variety of Crazy Golf courses, Football simulators, VR activities, Immersive Experiences, a themed carvery restaurant, indoor garden bar and café.
Owens Entertainment takes up the lower three floors of the Debenhams building, with FreedomWorks, another Town Deal-funded project, taking over the top three floors.
Councillor Paul Barnett, Leader of the Council and Regeneration and Climate Change at Hastings Borough Council, said…
“When I hear of the many empty Debenhams buildings all-round the country, I realise how fortunate we are to have had Moxie Management invest in ours, work closely with the Council and the local community, and find two excellent tenants to create new facilities that suit the challenging spaces of a building that grew over fifty years from the 1880s to the 1930s.
In Owens, we now have a genuine family attraction that will work for both our residents and our visitors. I have taken my two youngest grandchildren so far and they found quite different things to enjoy. An example of how to do regeneration in a way that serves the community rather than ignores it.”
As one young resident of Hastings put it…
‘There’s loads to do and it’s a great place to meet my friends especially when it’s raining and we can’t go to the beach!’ — Aggie, aged 12
You can find out more about Owens Entertainment, including how to book activities, on their website: https://owensentertainment.co.uk/
Notes for editors
On 27 July 2019, the Prime Minister announced that the Towns Fund would support an initial 101 places across England to develop Town Deal proposal, to drive economic regeneration and deliver long-term economic and productivity growth.
A Town Deal is an agreement in principle between government, the Lead Council and the Town Deal board. It will set out a vision and strategy for the town, and what each party agrees to do to achieve this vision.
See the 101 places being supported to develop Town Deals
