An escape room complex that opened its doors in 2017 will shut on August 31.
The Escapement was created by couple Lewis Hunt and Mica Dougan who created two rooms with a combination of clues and puzzle-solving using an ingenious method of Wi-Fi and electronics through an Arduino board.
The venue, which has themed rooms, including a high sea adventure in Polaris and an Ancient Egypt challenge, was considered as breaking new ground when it opened.
It has since been named the UK’s best rated escape room on Tripadvisor, with more than 2000 five star reviews and won multiple awards, including a Bullseye escape room award for best adventure theme .
But Lewis and Mica say circumstance out of their control have forced the decision to close.
In a statement on social media, the pair say: “After nearly a decade of creating adventures in Margate, we’ve made the incredibly difficult decision to close our Margate venue. Our final day of operation will be 31st August 2026.
“This wasn’t an easy decision, nor one we expected to be making this year. Due to circumstances outside of our control relating to our premises, we’ve had to bring this chapter to a close.
“First and foremost, we want to say thank you. Since opening our doors, thousands of you have celebrated birthdays, conquered puzzles, escaped impossible situations and made unforgettable memories with us. Whether you visited once or became one of our regular teams, you’ve helped make Escapement what it is today.
“This isn’t the end of our games either. We’re actively working to find new homes for them, and while we can’t share any details just yet, our aim is for them to return in the future.
“Between now and 31st August, this will be your final opportunity to experience The Pit, Pirates of Polaris and Egyptian Exodus in Margate.
“To make those last adventures as easy as possible to organise, every escape room booking will be a fixed £90 until we close.
“If you have an Escapement gift card, don’t worry, you won’t lose it. Any unused gift cards can be redeemed against our brand-new immersive experience, Crowns & Cathedrals, launching later this year at The Canterbury Tales in Canterbury.”
The pair, who also ran The Escapement in Broadstairs with escape challenges Atlantis, Operation Quartz, and Captcha Code between 2022 and 2024, say this is not the end of the business.
They add: “While this is the end of Escapement in Margate, it is not the end of Escapement.
“Later this year we’ll be launching Crowns & Cathedrals – an original live social deduction experience set within The Canterbury Tales. Expect deception, alliances, suspicion and the immersive storytelling you’ve come to expect from us.
“We’ve also bought a new venue, we’re still deciding exactly what experience it will become, but we’re excited about the possibilities.”
another thanet bright idea bites the dust
Let’s give them some credit-they made a living doing it in Cliftonville for the best part of a decade, including Covid. The one they opened at Broadstairs in 2022 only lasted until 2024-also lease issues I believe. While it seems it would be an unlikely thing in Margate, it was not a five minute wonder like so many of the ‘art’ projects & much better then the TDC obsession with Pop Ups, that last a few months.
I bet the landlord ramped the rent up.
Oh no, I love this place.