AN ATTIC above a gift and lifestyle shop has been converted into Romsey’s first escape room.
Four months after opening Fig and Fox, James and Helen Mitchell have expanded their business to include an escape room branded “The Attic” with the aim of introducing an immersive and theatrical experience to the town.
Teams of two to six players have an hour to crack the code, find the key and Escape The Attic within the experience above Fig and Fox in The Hundred.
Business owner James, 33, used his background as a scenic designer to bring merge the attic’s rustic floorboards and sloped ceilings with the escape room puzzles.
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He said: “It’s very exciting, I have loved designing and developing the escape room. It’s provided me with a completely different outlet for my creativity and it’s nice to see so many people excited to try it out.
“It’s difficult to give details as we don’t want to spoil any surprises. I’m really pleased with how the high tech elements integrate with the dusty aesthetic. When people first arrive in the attic they are kept busy with maps, keys and puzzles but not all is as it seems.
“Romsey is a fantastic place to live with a thriving town centre and community. There are plenty of groups, activities, sporting events in and around the town but I feel we are lacking attractions. Escape The Attic is in the heart of town and the perfect place to meet for an hour of entertainment before or after a meal in one of the local pubs or restaurants. It’s a great date night activity, good for team building, a quirky birthday present or venue for a work night out.”
James and Helen, who live with their child in East Wellow, opened Fig and Fox in October and soon got to work on converting the floor above into an escape room.
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James continued: “The shop is lovely and busy with lots of lovely local customers. The escape room has added another dimension, we get asked about it several times a day and there definitely seems to be a buzz around town.
“We have invested heavily in the attraction. Behind the scenes there are three computers running the escape room software, each one controls a range of lighting, sound and media devices. There is a huge amount of hardware hidden within the space, linked to the software and coded to provide a completely immersive theatrical experience.”
The business couple have already received back-to-back bookings following the launch on Monday, February 27. Participants are asked to meet in the shop and then they are escorted to the briefing room on the first floor before heading to the attic.
The experience lasts up to 60 minutes in addition to the 15-minute briefing. Tickets cost £16.50 per person. For more information or to book go to theatticromsey.co.uk/.
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