The `Great British Pinball Podcast Episode 26

UK pinball venues collapsing amid cost crisis; secondary market tanking; art debate over Harry Potter.

Synopsis

Scott Rundell and Neil McRae discuss the struggling UK pinball venue ecosystem, with multiple closures and downsizing (Tilt, Pinball Office, Highest Score) due to cost-of-living pressures, rising operational costs, and declining foot traffic. They highlight that despite claims pinball is thriving, UK venues face unsustainable economics. They then pivot to discussing secondary market collapse (games like John Wick LE dropping from £15k to £8k) and the sustainability crisis this creates for collectors and operators. The episode concludes with commentary on Harry Potter playfield art, AI tool usage by designer Christopher Franchi, and the importance of respecting pinball artwork as a legitimate art form.

Highlights

• Tilt in Birmingham, the longest-running and largest pinball venue in the UK, closed approximately 1-2 weeks prior to recording
• Pinball Republic experienced extremely quiet summer months, with one Sunday having only a single visitor
• Electricity costs at Pinball Republic are £400-£500 per month; landlord covered bills otherwise venue would be non-viable
• John Wick LE purchased for approximately £15k is now worth only £8k; this represents unsustainable depreciation
• Jersey Jack Pinball is not making money and Harry Potter investment will consume their production capacity for the next two years
• Barrels of Fun sold approximately 1,000-1,100 Labyrinth machines, hitting their target, with some stock remaining on factory floor
• Stern is the only major manufacturer making significant money; CGC also delivers on product commitments
• Christopher Franchi (Stern artist) stated 'pinball isn't art' during interview with Cary Hardy; used AI as a design tool on Evil Dead
• Pinball Office in Sawbridgeworth is shrinking from 25 games to 12-13 games, eliminating tournament capability
• Highest Score in Salisbury is on the verge of closure; held extended hours event to test viability

Entities

• Barrels of Fun· company
• Jersey Jack Pinball· company
• Stern Pinball· company
• Turner Pinball· company
• Evil Dead· game
• Harry Potter (JJP)· game
• John Wick· game
• Labyrinth· game
• Chris· person
• Christopher Franchi· person
• Kirk· person
• Neil McRae· person
• Rich Mallett· person
• Scott Rundell· person
• Zombie Yeti· person
• Insider Connected· product
• Highest Score· venue
• Pinball Office· venue
• Pinball Republic· venue
• Tilt· venue