F1 Arcade: New simulator experience in heart of London catches public imagination

With 60 simulators, four skill levels and at a cost of £6m, F1 Arcade is the latest project in the competitive socialising space and is near-certain to be a success - as founder Adam Breeden explains

F1 Arcade in St Paul’s is the next venture in London’s list of competitive socialising activities (F1)

As you walk up the steps to the main floor, music ringing out amid a scattergun of people, the immediate sense of anticipation is palpable. Formula 1’s newest venture – F1 Arcade – opened last month in St Paul’s, right in the heart of the city of London. In combining simulator racing with socialising, F1 is quite impressively not missing a beat as it looks to capitalise on its boom in popularity worldwide.

Hosting a total of 60 simulators, customers can race as teams or in head-to-head mode with more advanced skill levels of “All Venue” and “Grand Prix” to enter the fray in the coming months. With a more than reasonable standard price point of £13.75 per person too, the 16,000 square foot facility – built at a cost of £6m – is near-certain to see a plethora of groups savour in the post-work social experience.

Formula 1 have left no stone unturned, in a project nearly three years in the making. In fact, they turned to Adam Breeden – a pioneer in competitive socialising and co-founder of Puttshack, Flight Club and Bounce – to mould their vision into reality. Approached just before the pandemic hit in early 2020, Breeden admits it has been his most treasured undertaking to date and has no doubt it will be a success.

“The take up has been phenomenal, the space of competitive socialising is so hot right now,” he told The Independent. “I’ve seen a much bigger pick up on this than anything I’ve done before. The fanbase is fever-pitch level of excitement at times. We typically like to be in profit in month one and we’d expect something similar here.

“We tested over six months and had 1,000 people in our test centre to hone in on what the skill levels should be. It’s quite nuanced because there’s so many different settings. We’ve built in a digital handicapping system where no one would actually know that you’re not very good. It’s been so successful – we are rewarding skill but everyone can have a crash or an incident.”

Judging by the numbers over his involvement in competitive socialising during the past twenty years, Breeden knows what to strive for and, more importantly, how to implement it. Puttshack currently has an estimated annual revenue of $81.3m, with Flight Club’s standing at $58.7m, according to Growjo.

“With F1 Arcade, we’ve got the best of both worlds between Puttshack and Flight Club,” Breeden explains. “If you go to Puttshack, you have mini-golf for 30 minutes – that’s our head-to-head mode. The team-based races is for larger groups so that’s more like Flight Club where you’re static, have your area and take your turns while eating and drinking.

The venue in the city of London boasts 60 simulators (F1)

“The spectator experience is so profound that when you’re not racing, there’s a reason to be interested and engaged. There’s something about racing which trumps anything I’ve done yet – it speaks to a core human instinct of competitiveness to be the fastest.”

Races tend to be four minutes long, a length of time Breeden describes as the “sweet spot” between enjoyment and engagement. At the time of writing, there are a limited number of tracks on the game – Silverstone, Monza, Bahrain and Spa – so think again if you want to negotiate the streets of Monaco or Miami with your mates. Then again, judging by my abysmal personal attempts to negotiate the first chicane at Monza, prospering at just one track would be a worthy feat in itself.

In short, it’s tough. Simulator racing, no matter how adapted the skill level is, is notoriously difficult to grasp from the off and even with the aid of a racing line on screen, judging your breaking point is a challenge. Best be safe than sorry but, with a few more beers, that philosophy may well go out the window. Oh, and you jig about in your seat a fair bit too.

Don’t fret though. Should the driving be too much of a challenge, you can bask in a relaxing atmosphere amidst food and drink with other arcade games such as a digital “Lights Out” challenge and classic reaction board. In some ways, even more addictive and frustrating than the simulators.

“The concept we have is great because it works in an uncompromised way for all different customer groups,” Breeden adds. “It’s the first time for me that I’ve created a bespoke activity experience depending on the occasion. It’s such a digital experience. The audience in that location – some of them have the ability so spend and appreciate quality. There’s affordable things and you can indulge – we’ve got the balance between the two.”

There’s plans further afield too. A second venue is set to open later this year in Birmingham and – alongside F1’s own plans which include three races in the US this year, with Las Vegas a new Grand Prix – an expansion stateside is a long-term focus. Both parties are targeting a “global footprint.” So, does this make it Breeden’s favourite venture to date?

“It’s like asking do you have a favourite child! Never before have I had a weight of a global brand behind what I’ve done. It’s the name above your door, the brand recognition, the support from F1 from a marketing perspective – and you’ve got half-a-billion fans around the world.

“That’s pretty powerful. It has that edge which the others don’t.”

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For more info please visit https://f1arcade.com/