PINBALL WIZARDS

Margaret Mather visits a former working men’s club in Nuneaton, Warwickshire to play her way through Europe’s largest public collection of pinball machines

- Margaret Mather

Nestled between a row of terraced houses in the back streets of Nuneaton, Warwickshire stands an old working men’s club. Its origins go back to 1932 and while it’s nothing to look at from the outside, the inside will make your head spin, your feet tap, and your fingers itch. You will be searching your pockets for coins as you line up to take your turn on the biggest public collection of pinball machines in Europe. Afterwards, you can quench your thirst with a drink at the Silverball Bar.

Fife Street Working Men’s Club had stood empty for years and was in a sorry state when Courtney Blount and her business partner Steve decided they needed somewhere to store their collection of 58 working retro and new pinball machines.

They noticed the club was up for rent and decided to take a look. It was in a terrible mess and needed lots of restoration but it was the right size for their extensive collection, so they went ahead with the lease.

“Everywhere was damp and mould-covered – furniture, walls, ceilings and carpets,” said Courtney. “The smell of decay permeated the air. Most people would be put off by this, but we persevered. Families from the local community popped in every day to lend a hand. We were extremely grateful for their help. Within six weeks, the club was ready for business… then along came a pandemic.”

Overnight, the takings plummeted from £2,500 a week to nothing as the club was forced to shut its doors in March 2020. The landlord didn’t want to reduce the rent, and Courtney and Steve were at a loss for what to do next.