A new community centre in Whitehaven is hosting a hair-raising zombie survival experience.
Kings Corner, above Santander on King’s Street, is set to hold its grand opening this Sunday, but on Friday night, zombies will take over for a weekend of horror.
The zombie adventure event will turn visitors into members of a team of survivors who will need to find their way through a zombie infested building with the help of armed special force actors, and flashlights.
Visitors will have 15 minutes to escape the building and staff have warned it isn’t for the feint of heart.
Director Balazs Csomor said: “It is meant to be scary, you are being led through a dark building with flashlights and the zombies are in the building and will try to attack you, I think people will enjoy it if they come along.
“The idea came up because Halloween is coming and we thought it would be fun to do here since there isn’t anything similar in this area. There are some similar activities in England already, but they are very far away from here. It will be short but very intense, but you will have actors dressed up in military gear making sure you are safe.”
Balazs added that the zombie adventure would be a one time event hosted by volunteers, but that the team would consider hosting something like it more frequently if it proved popular.
Talking about the grand opening of the centre, Balazs said: “The official opening is this Sunday, but we are doing the zombie event early because we wanted to run it for four days. The centre is supposed to bring people together to do great things. Me and my family are from Hungary and we needed a place where we can go in our free time and we thought a community centre would be really good for Whitehaven.
“We thought it would be good for people to come to smaller special events like workshops for arts and crafts or other leisure activities, I just think something like this is missing from here.”
The entire opening event is donation based, and features Cumbrian businesses who are partnering with the centre, including Gabes Cakes, Healing Sounds and Shadaka’s Drums.
Visitors will be able to visit from 3.45pm onwards, and activities including aromatherapy, sound healing, food tasting, shamanic drumming and arts and crafts will go ahead.
A new, permanent escape room has also been set up at the centre, under the theme of a bank heist, and is available for customers to book from October 30.
The entry fee for the zombie adventure event is £20 and those coming with a group are asked to book separately for each individual attending. A maximum of five people are allowed in a group.
As the event is intended to be scary, the centre has said the event is not recommended for those under 12. Children are permitted entry only at their parent’s discretion and they have to be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Those interested in volunteering with the centre to work on future projects and workshops are encouraged to get in touch.
