New interactive escape rooms planned for Northampton town centre

Escape room bosses are finalising plans for two new escape rooms in Northampton town centre - set to open in May.
James has been running Deadlocked in Reading and Peterborough for 18 months.James has been running Deadlocked in Reading and Peterborough for 18 months.
James has been running Deadlocked in Reading and Peterborough for 18 months.

Co-owner of Reading and Peterborough-based escape rooms James Hamer-Morton is planning to open his third escape room on the corner of Abington Street and Wellington Street this May.

His colleagues at Deadlock are currently planning a "Victorian-esque" theme for one of the rooms but more information will be revealed when planning permission is given the green light.

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The escape rooms are both problem-solving games whereby groups enter a themed room and have to use props and clues to solve a series of puzzles before making their way out in a set time.

The application site is the second floor of 47 Abington Street, Northampton.The application site is the second floor of 47 Abington Street, Northampton.
The application site is the second floor of 47 Abington Street, Northampton.

James said: "We put a heavy focus on the immersive, interactive side of things. Even our clue systems are designed as part of the story with characters - generally pre-recorded - interacting with you throughout the experience.

"We want you to feel like the whole experience is like living through a film, rather than hearing the background at the start of the game, and never revisiting it during or after it."

Plans are in the pipeline to open two escape rooms that can be played separately, or possibly as one giant experience, for those that want a full feature length game - or for much larger groups than the average escape room allows for.

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He added: "The overall plot will be tied into an arcing storyline that is linked to - but absolutely not reliant on - our other rooms, and mixed media productions, such as a book we're releasing towards the end of the year.

"We want our games to be more than just puzzles in a room with pretty scenery and hope that we'll keep people guessing and talking about it afterwards for a long time."