Escape Rooms

[Scouse Hibee]

Anyone done this? We went last night for a works night out, was very good, enjoyable and fairly difficult but we managed it. Onto Brewhemia after it, was quite impressed in there too.

[SRHibs]

Anyone done this? We went last night for a works night out, was very good, enjoyable and fairly difficult but we managed it. Onto Brewhemia after it, was quite impressed in there too.

Which one did you do out of interest?

They are huge at the moment.

[bingo70]

Anyone done this? We went last night for a works night out, was very good, enjoyable and fairly difficult but we managed it. Onto Brewhemia after it, was quite impressed in there too.

I did the one at Holyrood and really enjoyed it.

The people I was with, and I very much include myself in this, probably weren’t the greatest minds the world has seen but we also managed it so I presume they adjust the help they give you over the tannoy/intercom thingy to make sure everybody competes it.

I think all companies should do it as a team building exercise and if I did recruitment for a company I’d use it as an assessment centre as think it’d give a great insight into how people’s minds work and how they interact with people.

[Scouse Hibee]

Which one did you do out of interest?

They are huge at the moment.

St Colme Street

[Scouse Hibee]

I did the one at Holyrood and really enjoyed it.

The people I was with, and I very much include myself in this, probably weren’t the greatest minds the world has seen but we also managed it so I presume they adjust the help they give you over the tannoy/intercom thingy to make sure everybody competes it.

I think all companies should do it as a team building exercise and if I did recruitment for a company I’d use it as an assessment centre as think it’d give a great insight into how people’s minds work and how they interact with people.

We done the one at St Colme Street, yes it certainly demonstrates the different mindset and problem solving skills of your team.

[SRHibs]

I did the one at Holyrood and really enjoyed it.

The people I was with, and I very much include myself in this, probably weren’t the greatest minds the world has seen but we also managed it so I presume they adjust the help they give you over the tannoy/intercom thingy to make sure everybody competes it.

I think all companies should do it as a team building exercise and if I did recruitment for a company I’d use it as an assessment centre as think it’d give a great insight into how people’s minds work and how they interact with people.

Not every team completes them. As you say it's a managed experience so more help can be given based on the team's performance, but a lot of people still fail to get out the room within the time.

[lord bunberry]

I’d never heard about them until I watched the film. I quite fancy doing it now.

[Steve-O]

Did it a few months back and thought it was pretty crap to be honest :hilarious

Sorry to go against the grain! Not my cup of tea.

[SRHibs]

Did it a few months back and thought it was pretty crap to be honest :hilarious

Sorry to go against the grain! Not my cup of tea.

I think which particular room you do really impacts how good the experience was.

[IGRIGI]

I did the one at Holyrood and really enjoyed it.

The people I was with, and I very much include myself in this, probably weren’t the greatest minds the world has seen but we also managed it so I presume they adjust the help they give you over the tannoy/intercom thingy to make sure everybody competes it.

I think all companies should do it as a team building exercise and if I did recruitment for a company I’d use it as an assessment centre as think it’d give a great insight into how people’s minds work and how they interact with people.

I thought personality tests were ****y enough but if a recruiter told me to go into an escape room I'd tell them to turn the job offer sideways and shove it where the sun don't shine.

[bingo70]

I thought personality tests were ****y enough but if a recruiter told me to go into an escape room I'd tell them to turn the job offer sideways and shove it where the sun don't shine.

Ha ha it is a bit David Brentish but I think I’d rather do that than some daft competency based interview.

[Jay]

Done loads of them now. Different quality definitely applies to each venue. Best one we did was escape hour just off the royal mile. Escape plan in George street was good too.

[calumhibee1]

Done one down the shore over from carriers quarters. Was alright, wouldn’t rush back.

[McD]

Done one of the 2 (same place) on great junction street, was quite fun 😊

[Steve-O]

I think which particular room you do really impacts how good the experience was.

I was in the 'small room' just because of the way the teams were drawn out. Essentially there were 6 of us running around doing different things and I just found it all a bit gimmicky. It was a little bit chaotic for my liking and there was little opportunity to really figure things out properly.

Not really a fan of the 'forced' team building stuff for the most part. A meal and out for a few drinks wins every time for me!

[danhibees1875]

Done a couple of them and think they're pretty good. My other half loves them though, whenever she's away on a holiday she inevitably finds an escape room to do.

There's a fair few in Edinburgh now.

[FitbaFolkKen]

I was in the 'small room' just because of the way the teams were drawn out. Essentially there were 6 of us running around doing different things and I just found it all a bit gimmicky. It was a little bit chaotic for my liking and there was little opportunity to really figure things out properly.

Not really a fan of the 'forced' team building stuff for the most part. A meal and out for a few drinks wins every time for me!

I run several escape room sites, the team building part is more a by product of the type of experience. Very few escape room locations do what I would define as proper team building, the experience is more team bonding as there is generally little to no analysis of the performance post game.

We've got a location in Dunedin www.escapedunedin.com, if you happen to be in the area(it's not a million miles from Wellington i guess) the games at Dunedin Prison are well worth playing. Definitely a more immersive experience in a fantastic location.

It won't be for everyone though and as the market continues to become more mainstream then we are going to encounter people who don't enjoy it.

[Sylar]

I'm up to 16 now but I've only just started doing the Scottish ones. Most of the ones I've done are with a friend of mine down in London. He's a bit of a seasoned pro at this point - he's done 80 all over the world.

We did 2 of the Escape Reality games in Merchant Square in Glasgow at the weekend - they have 5 rooms in total, and we ended up setting the record time for one of them!

The quality of the room can definitely impact enjoyment, no doubt about it. The first "half-room" I ever did was at the Namco arcade on South Bank - it was very badly set up, and even the guys who "oversaw" it didn't understand how some of it worked. I've done some brilliant rooms down in London, many of them as a team of 2, and they can be really challenging.

In addition to room escapes, if any of you ever go down to London, I can't recommend the treasure hunts around the city - there are a few companies that run these, but inthehiddencity trails are spectacular, and get you walking around London looking for clues etc - businesses are always in on the act too, so you stop in several pubs for drinks etc on your way. Great fun for groups of friends.

[Sylar]

I run several escape room sites, the team building part is more a by product of the type of experience. Very few escape room locations do what I would define as proper team building, the experience is more team bonding as there is generally little to no analysis of the performance post game.

We've got a location in Dunedin www.escapedunedin.com (http://www.escapedunedin.com), if you happen to be in the area(it's not a million miles from Wellington i guess) the games at Dunedin Prison are well worth playing. Definitely a more immersive experience in a fantastic location.

It won't be for everyone though and as the market continues to become more mainstream then we are going to encounter people who don't enjoy it.

If you've got any Scottish sites and ever require a tester, I'm more than happy to help out (as I know most companies run these before they open).

Alternatively, let me know where your sites around Scotland are, and I'll be sure to try and get around them :greengrin

[SRHibs]

If you've got any Scottish sites and ever require a tester, I'm more than happy to help out (as I know most companies run these before they open).

Alternatively, let me know where your sites around Scotland are, and I'll be sure to try and get around them :greengrin

We have a couple of sites in London too; one at Shepherd’s Bush near the Westfield and the other at Shadwell. On a similar note, make sure you try the Crystal Maze if you haven’t already done so!

We’ve got 2 (soon to be 3) in Edinburgh (St Colme Street, Haymarket, and Morrison Street), Glasgow (Wellington Street), Dundee, and Livingston.

Can’t say anything on the tester front however I’m sure FFK will respond!

[Gatecrasher]

I done this one as a team building day with the work

http://exitplanedinburgh.co.uk/svengalis-lair/

I really enjoyed it, I'm no really someone who enjoys a puzzle but the team I had with me were really good and that made it more enjoyable. We set the best time that week.

[Sylar]

We have a couple of sites in London too; one at Shepherd’s Bush near the Westfield and the other at Shadwell. On a similar note, make sure you try the Crystal Maze if you haven’t already done so!

We’ve got 2 (soon to be 3) in Edinburgh (St Colme Street, Haymarket, and Morrison Street), Glasgow (Wellington Street), Dundee, and Livingston.

Can’t say anything on the tester front however I’m sure FFK will respond!

Just had a look at your London sites, and they definitely look good. Will check to see if my friend's done them or not, and if not, will look to pop along and try them in July when I'm next down.

I'm very glad for folks like you that are continuing to expand the number of rooms, as it's an excellent past-time!

[Jay]

We have a couple of sites in London too; one at Shepherd’s Bush near the Westfield and the other at Shadwell. On a similar note, make sure you try the Crystal Maze if you haven’t already done so!

We’ve got 2 (soon to be 3) in Edinburgh (St Colme Street, Haymarket, and Morrison Street), Glasgow (Wellington Street), Dundee, and Livingston.

Can’t say anything on the tester front however I’m sure FFK will respond!

Weve done one of the rooms in livingston and keen to do the other one with the cells. Got a voucher for a different edinburgh one to use first. I tend to pick them up when theres offers on Groupon or itison and also pick up food vouchers at the same time. Great thing to do with older teens.

[Gatecrasher]

Whats the one in Livingston called?

[mvteng]

Whats the one in Livingston called?

Its just called Escape Livingston.

We did the Espionage Room and enjoyed it. Not the best, not the worst.

Best ones i've been to were padlox in Leith and exit plan on Queen Street.

Tried escape hour off the high street, but didnt really like it.

ps. as we were leaving Escape Livingston, the guy told us to use discount code Stu49 to try the other rooms. No idea if it still works, but worth a try.

[SRHibs]

Its just called Escape Livingston.

We did the Espionage Room and enjoyed it. Not the best, not the worst.

Best ones i've been to were padlox in Leith and exit plan on Queen Street.

Tried escape hour off the high street, but didnt really like it.

ps. as we were leaving Escape Livingston, the guy told us to use discount code Stu49 to try the other rooms. No idea if it still works, but worth a try.

That’s fair. The pricing structure has changed to reflect the demand for rooms in each area so the Livingston rooms are a wee bit cheaper now than the ‘big city’ sites. We still have codes in effect though: The student code is now STU20 - works site-wide; as does the NHS20 code. If you were going to try anymore of our games I’d highly recommend the new rooms in New Town, or waiting for the ones on Morrison Street (situated below Noughts & Coffees).

https://www.escapeteambuilding.co.uk/

The Magic Emporium looks superb, and The Experiment is a favourite for me of our rooms.

Being honest though, haven’t got a bad thing to say about any of the other companies’ rooms as I’ve enjoyed them all - even the one I failed! Can You Escape’s rooms near the Royal Mile are really good fun.

[FitbaFolkKen]

I done this one as a team building day with the work

http://exitplanedinburgh.co.uk/svengalis-lair/

I really enjoyed it, I'm no really someone who enjoys a puzzle but the team I had with me were really good and that made it more enjoyable. We set the best time that week.

The standard in Edinburgh is very high compared to a lot of other major cities, in addition to our own sites I really like Exit Plan which has been mentioned a couple of times and The Secret Lab at Lockedin at Summerhall is a must play.


Just had a look at your London sites, and they definitely look good. Will check to see if my friend's done them or not, and if not, will look to pop along and try them in July when I'm next down.

I'm very glad for folks like you that are continuing to expand the number of rooms, as it's an excellent past-time!


If you've got any Scottish sites and ever require a tester, I'm more than happy to help out (as I know most companies run these before they open).

Alternatively, let me know where your sites around Scotland are, and I'll be sure to try and get around them :greengrin

Nottingham has some amazing rooms as does Derby if you are looking to do it as part of a day out and possibly play multiple games in one day.

It's good fun creating new rooms, I think the Magic Emporium which will be in Morrison Street will be our best room to date. Although The Experiment and Houdini's Workshop in St Colme Street are both new rooms and I really like them.

They are definitely a step up compared to our Haymarket branch, which is next on the list for a revamp.

If we are looking for groups to test I'll drop a post in here :) - likely be the last week of May.


Weve done one of the rooms in livingston and keen to do the other one with the cells. Got a voucher for a different edinburgh one to use first. I tend to pick them up when theres offers on Groupon or itison and also pick up food vouchers at the same time. Great thing to do with older teens.

There will be combi tickets with Pizza Express available there shortly which should work out at a decent price for a bit of entertainment and some food. The market in Livi is very different to EH or Glas so we are trying to make it a bit more family orientated. We are trying to stay away from Groupon and ITison, they were great for helping us set up but not a sustainable business model unfortunately.


Its just called Escape Livingston.

We did the Espionage Room and enjoyed it. Not the best, not the worst.

Best ones i've been to were padlox in Leith and exit plan on Queen Street.

Tried escape hour off the high street, but didnt really like it.

ps. as we were leaving Escape Livingston, the guy told us to use discount code Stu49 to try the other rooms. No idea if it still works, but worth a try.

Yeah Espionage is more like an introductory room for a new market, some cool stuff but not overly difficult. That's why we put it on Groupon at the start to try and encourage people to play and then hopefully come back and play the others. The Prison Breakout room there and the Witchcraft and Wizardry rooms are a bit of a step up in difficulty and we have invested in the WW rooms quite heavily in comparison as the initial rooms were successful. I like the Livi site because the property costs are much lower than EH we can use far bigger spaces and be a bit more adventurous. The Prison is cool, got a bit of a Shawshank redemption vibe to it and the Witchcraft and Wizardry has a couple of bits I've never seen in an escape room before.

[FitbaFolkKen]

I’d never heard about them until I watched the film. I quite fancy doing it now.

There are not many in the UK that use live actors to provide a scary experience. However the two that would be most similar are

Buried Alive (https://www.escape-peterborough.co.uk/the-games/) in Peterborough is set in the Vaults beneath Peterborough Museum, one of the most haunted places in the UK apparently. I can't vouch for seeing anything but wasn't much fun being down there late at night on your own, imagination runs wild! Being the person in the coffin is ....entertaining :wink:

Or the Butcher (https://www.escapologic.com/nottingham-escape-rooms/butcher/) in Nottingham at Escapologic.

Both definitely have a scare factor to them :greengrin

[Steve-O]

I run several escape room sites, the team building part is more a by product of the type of experience. Very few escape room locations do what I would define as proper team building, the experience is more team bonding as there is generally little to no analysis of the performance post game.

We've got a location in Dunedin www.escapedunedin.com, if you happen to be in the area(it's not a million miles from Wellington i guess) the games at Dunedin Prison are well worth playing. Definitely a more immersive experience in a fantastic location.

It won't be for everyone though and as the market continues to become more mainstream then we are going to encounter people who don't enjoy it.

Doubt I'll be down there anytime soon, but it does sound better being in an old prison - the one I was at was just downstairs in an office block and just a bit meh.

[Jay]

[/QUOTE Yeah Espionage is more like an introductory room for a new market, some cool stuff but not overly difficult. That's why we put it on Groupon at the start to try and encourage people to play and then hopefully come back and play the others. The Prison Breakout room there and the Witchcraft and Wizardry rooms are a bit of a step up in difficulty and we have invested in the WW rooms quite heavily in comparison as the initial rooms were successful. I like the Livi site because the property costs are much lower than EH we can use far bigger spaces and be a bit more adventurous. The Prison is cool, got a bit of a Shawshank redemption vibe to it and the Witchcraft and Wizardry has a couple of bits I've never seen in an escape room before.[/QUOTE]


We did the witchcraft one. It was a bit more difficult than some of the others but our teens loved it. Lots of brainpower needed. I just organised and carried things we found :greengrin

[Sylar]

Nottingham has some amazing rooms as does Derby if you are looking to do it as part of a day out and possibly play multiple games in one day.

It's good fun creating new rooms, I think the Magic Emporium which will be in Morrison Street will be our best room to date. Although The Experiment and Houdini's Workshop in St Colme Street are both new rooms and I really like them.

They are definitely a step up compared to our Haymarket branch, which is next on the list for a revamp.

If we are looking for groups to test I'll drop a post in here :) - likely be the last week of May.



Much obliged. I've done a couple of "beta" tests for a few of the rooms down in London, so I'm well versed at the review/reporting structure. Definitely happy to help if you need it.

I'm down in London in July, so my mate and I are contemplating the ones at your Shadwell location (he's done the ones at Shephard's Bush) :agree:

[Jay]

Reminded me to use a black friday voucher I bought! Booked in to The Bunker one at end of June.

[Sylar]

Anyone aware of any discount codes etc for rooms just now, preferably in London? We thought we had a team of 4 for July, but have since been reduced to a 2 which makes it much more expensive!

[danhibees1875]

Anyone aware of any discount codes etc for rooms just now, preferably in London? We thought we had a team of 4 for July, but have since been reduced to a 2 which makes it much more expensive!

Have you tried Groupon/Itison/Wowcher?

I've never seen escape rooms on them myself, but that's probably your best bet. :aok:

[Jay]

Anyone aware of any discount codes etc for rooms just now, preferably in London? We thought we had a team of 4 for July, but have since been reduced to a 2 which makes it much more expensive!

There was a code on facebook for £15 off the other day. If your on FB try following them, might still be running. Think it was Escape Rooms Scotland though.

[Sylar]

Have you tried Groupon/Itison/Wowcher?

I've never seen escape rooms on them myself, but that's probably your best bet. :aok:


There was a code on facebook for £15 off the other day. If your on FB try following them, might still be running. Think it was Escape Rooms Scotland though.

Thanks both - found something on GroupOn!

[nellio]

I did one a few months ago up fountain park. Again with work. We had a team of 5 so they gave us the hardest longest room.

Unfortunately when 2 of your 5 team mates are totally uninterested and would rather be on social media than helping you and when another one isn't the sharpest tool in the box it somewhat limits you!!!

[snooky]

I prefer my version .....
1) get p!shed
2) fall asleep in somebody's house
3) wake up in the middle of the night
4) try and find a bathroom in the dark

... exciting or what?

[Jay]

Just did the one in Great Junction st with the kids. Great fun. We did the bunker one because im theres no chance of me doing the zombie one.

[Sylar]

Nottingham has some amazing rooms as does Derby if you are looking to do it as part of a day out and possibly play multiple games in one day.

It's good fun creating new rooms, I think the Magic Emporium which will be in Morrison Street will be our best room to date. Although The Experiment and Houdini's Workshop in St Colme Street are both new rooms and I really like them.

They are definitely a step up compared to our Haymarket branch, which is next on the list for a revamp.

If we are looking for groups to test I'll drop a post in here :) - likely be the last week of May.


I meant to get back in touch and let you know we've booked into two of your rooms in London (east) this coming Friday. Very much looking forward to it.