Britannia Pier Makeover 2025

Anyone visiting Great Yarmouth this summer will be in for a real treat. Over the last eight months the team at the Britannia Pier has worked tirelessly to complete an extensive revamp and redesign of the entire front end of the pier. 

It now offers a much larger indoor arcade space with many brand new arcade games and machines as well as internal and external pedestrian walkways, making it easier and more fun to explore in all seasons.

Not only have the internal areas been vastly upgraded to provide even more floorspace, the entire road-facing frontage of the pier has been given a complete makeover with large traditional arches being added like beacons that draw the eye from right across the promenade and the approach from Regent Street. 

(New signage to be added very soon!)

As visitors approach the Britannia Pier, they can immediately see the large arches on either side, which are similar to other piers on the East coast of England, such as Felixstowe Pier and Clacton Pier.

Lower Ground Arcade

The entry area is the same as before, with wide stairs leading down to the lower ground amusement arcade, which is the same as it was before. The only real difference being the removal of some of the machines from the adult casino slots area and are currently renovating it. 

After speaking with staff, they have informed us that the lower ground adult gaming area will be completely removed and replaced with family-friendly arcade machines. This makes sense with the new (and very spacious) adult cash casino zone, which has become a standout feature of the new upper arcade area.

New Boardwalk Area

As patrons walk down the main walkway, there are still many fun food kiosks serving seaside staples, including fast-food, burgers and doughnuts. The fish and chips restaurant 'Krispies' proudly remains on the left hand-side. 

Just past the food kiosks is where the fun starts to really begin! What was once an open-air boardwalk is now a wide internal walkway with high ceilings. Along one side of this new walkway is a huge range of brand-new modern Asian style claw machines, Find-a-key and other new ticket redemption machines. 

There are also high-set windows all along this area that let in natural light and a large view point window set at an angle for a gorgeous framing of the Great Yarmouth beach. Anyone visiting can see that this window has been intelligently placed here to blend the indoor with the outdoor and the design is aesthetically pleasing.

New Giant Upper Arcade Area

Just past the viewing window is the real jewel in the crown as the walkway opens up into a huge amusement arcade space with great high ceilings. In this area there is now a large adult casino gaming section, which is much larger than the slots area that was here before. 

There are rows and rows of brand new ticket redemption type machines, and most of these are very impressive with examples such as a giant high striker and many hybrid coin pusher machines. 

As patrons explore this new area, it seamlessly joins with what used to be the previous upper arcade, and anyone familiar with the old layout should be able to tell with the rows of coin pushers near the windows and also the prize redemption shop at the rear.

There are several entrances to the outside here that take visitors out onto the boardwalk, which still covers the rear of the pier, taking patrons to the rides at the back or the theatre and bar for entertainment. The stairs to the beach and coastal path also remain, though they are currently being renovated.

Amusement Arcades are back!

Since Covid, families have sought more 'out-of-home' entertainment experiences and this, coupled with the advances in modern arcade technologies and the creative innovation of modern ticket redemption has catapulted seaside towns in the UK back into their rightful place of glorious popularity.

With this huge level of investment at the Britannia Pier, it now rivals the quality and scope of the Wellington Pier. This is a huge positive for Great Yarmouth as they now have two high-quality amusement arcade attractions, one at each end of the Golden Mile. 

Many more local venues have also had upgrades for the 2025 season include Wellington Pier, Joyland, The Mint, Caesars Palace and the Great Yarmouth Pleasurebeach. Claremont Pier in Lowestoft has also had some arcade machine upgrades. 

There are many other new rejuvenation projects taking place in Great Yarmouth town such as the brand new library, and also work will start soon on the Winter Gardens, so check back soon for more updates!

Do not miss the chance to explore the brand new Britannia Pier amusement arcade in 2025!