Britannia Pier Amusement Arcade Great Yarmouth

The iconic Britannia Pier has been a focal point of the Great Yarmouth tourism industry since the early 1900's. Facing the busy pedestrianised area at the bottom of Regent Street and the start of Marine Parade, it is the first big attraction visitors see when visiting from the town or train station. The visual impact of the wide beach alongside the Britannia Pier really is a spectacle to see and Great Yarmouth is blessed with great views and classic Victorian architecture that has only been improved upon over the decades. 

The Britannia Pier arcade is located at the widest part of the Great Yarmouth tourist beach meaning it occupies a large amount of square footage and has a great range of different attractions for all the family.

The pier boasts two amusement arcades, two bars, rides and even a theatre. There is a good-sized fish & chip shop & restaurant, burger bar and many kiosks serving a range of different foods and tasty treats. 

The entire pier complex is free to enter and has a lot to offer the entire family for both daytime and evening entertainment. We’ll now discuss the amusement arcades located on the lower ground floor and the upper arcade. 

Amusement Arcade Lower

Upon approaching Britannia Pier, visitors are greeted by the Pier Tavern on one side, a range of food vendors on the other and a wide staircase heading down to the lower arcade next to the central walkway. This is the main entrance to the lower ground arcade, though there are also doors at the rear, which open onto the Great Yarmouth seafront path that stretches the length of the coast.

The lower amusement arcade has a nice cosy feel to it, and it has a range of different gaming machines. There is a casino slots area for adults over 18 and a range of £5 Jackpot fruit machines dotted around the venue. 

They have a fun range of 2p coin pushers with great shelf prizes with some machines also paying out ticket wins. There are also many larger fairground style machines that pay out in tickets and classic arcade racing machines and shooting games.

There is a change kiosk next to the entrance stairway and a small display cabinet with a limited range of ticket redemption prizes in it. This is likely to encourage patrons to explore the Britannia Pier further and seek out the second amusement arcade - which has a large prize shop with a big range of prizes for the whole family. 

A standout of the lower ground arcade venue is the row of Pac-Mac Ball upright 2p coin pusher arcade machines. These are a fantastic addition to any arcade and really do offer great entertainment that blends the traditional fun of a coin pusher with the bright lights of a fruit machine all for just 2p per play!

Casino Slots Lounge Lower

In the adult casino gaming area there is a row of BluePrint Gaming and Golden Greats machines with £400 and £500 jackpot machines. At the very end are some £100 jackpot casino fruit machines. On the rear wall is a quadruple sit down Party Time casino machine. The opposite wall has a row of three triple machines including another Party Time stand up machine and a Super Bullion Bar X triple machine. 

Visitors can exit the lower ground arcade via the rear doors, which come out underneath the pier next to a cafe or take the main stairs back up to the front of the pier. Walking along the pier from the front entrance, patrons will pass by a traditional fish and chips restaurant on the left hand side.

On the right side are a range of food kiosks and vendors and as the boardwalk starts to rise the pier buildings continue only on the left hand side. Here there is some classic seaside pier fun in the form of the camel derby game! In the next section are a range of ticket redemption arcade games which is an extension to the main upper amusement arcade which can be entered through the double doors on the left hand side.

Amusement Arcade Upper

Upon entering visitors may notice that there is a lot less floor space in this gaming arcade. This can be a challenge to navigate on a busy day, though with the range of modern machines they have in this amusements, it is worth anyone's time to continue winning tickets here, as there is a big range of machines for all of the family to enjoy. 

They have traditional coin pushers such as 'Rock and Roll' 10p falls machines, there are many Sweet Falls 2p coin pusher machines with 3 reels for winning tickets for prizes. Walking through, players will notice a range of modern fairground games and roll down ticket machines mixed amongst modern ticket prize coin pusher machines such as Space Invaders and Monopoly Gold machines. 

The prize shop for exchanging tickets is at the very rear of the arcade and there is also an exit here to take patrons out to the end of the pier where the theatre and bars are. 

It should be noted that there are only a couple of £5 Jackpot fruit machines in the upper arcade and they are nested near the adult casino gaming area. Here you can find a Golden Keys casino style machine and also a Bar X triple. 

Casino Slots Lounge Area Upper

The adult gaming casino area in the upper arcade is about the same size as the one in the lower amusements. Here there is a similar selection of machines from the same vendors such as Blueprint Gaming and Golden Greats. There is also a Bullion Bar X triple machine at the very end, with some 10p per play machines available outside. 

Venue Verdict

The Britannia Pier is a fantastic entertainment centre with everything needed for a great day out in one location. They really have made a big effort to cater for all ages and family members at this establishment. Victorian Piers with amusements arcades really do lead the way as shining examples of fun for all of the family on a nice day out on the coast.

Both amusement arcades have a good blend of gaming machines for all ages. The prizes are generous and good quality. A lot of fun can be had here on a modest budget. The casino games range could be a little more exciting, though this is likely due to it being a pier and having more of an emphasis on attractions for younger children and toddlers. 

However, with having a large quality theatre, you can be sure that the drinks and always flowing and the entertainment running late into the evening. So why not spend a sunny day and an enjoyable evening at the Britannia Pier. 

Featured Game: Demolition King Ticket Prize Machine