A North East entertainment venue recently secured a Dragon's Den investment.
Fayre Play's Scottish founders Craig and Kasia Neilson secured Β£200,000 from businessman Touker Suleyman on an episode of Dragonsβ Den, which aired in September, in exchange for a 30 per cent stake.
Fayre Play launched in 2023 with venues in Edinburgh's Picardy Place and Glasgow's Kinning Park, before opening its first English site at Newcastle's The Gate two years later.
Now, it remains popular among Newcastle locals a year on from the business opening its first English location.
The venue pairs nostalgic fairground games with street food and cocktails in a modern social setting.
Fayre Play offers packages for families, students, work events and stag or hen parties, plus party planning and venue hire for groups of more than 100.
Under-18s can visit until 6pm from Sunday to Friday and until 3pm on Saturdays; after that, the venue is adults-only.
The Neilsons told the Dragons they wanted to build a business around nostalgia, competition and socialising.
During negotiations, the founders agreed that Mr Suleymanβs stake could fall to 20 per cent if the company reaches a revenue target of Β£4 million within 18 months.
The company has welcomed more than 250,000 visitors across its three venues so far, and plans to open more venues across the UK.
The Neilsons said their Dragonsβ Den experience would stay with them βfor the rest of their livesβ, adding: "People keep asking if the Den is as intense as it looks. Honest answer - more."
The founders called accepting Touker's offer βthe strongest validation we could have asked forβ and thanked their teams in Scotland and Newcastle for keeping their television debut secret.
They described their staff as βremarkableβ and said: "That was your pitch up there too."
Fans congratulated Fayre Play and shared their experiences beneath the company's social media post about its Dragonsβ Den appearance.
One commenter wrote: "Love, love, love Fayre Play! We named our duck Keith after a conversation we had with the bar staff, class day out!"
Another customer said: "Iβve only been once, but had such a fun time.
"One of the staff members was just a superstar and really made our visit an 11/10."
Since opening in Newcastle, Fayre Play has also gained attention from local social media creators, who have described it as ideal for a family day out or date night.
Newcastle-based lifestyle influencer and Miss England finalist Chantelle Williams visited the fairground venue, praising the "amazing" cocktail menu and "bright, playful" energy.
She described Fayre Play as the "perfect spot for a fun date night or night out with friends."
An online reviewer wrote: "Had the best time at Fayre Play. Took the kids, which, in hindsight, was a bad idea as they are so competitive.
"The price was decent for the amount of time we spent there, and especially when you compare it to normal carnival games, which are about a fiver each!"
Fayre Play captured local attention during the World Cup this summer, when their "roaming referees" wandered Newcastle City Centre surprising passers-by with whistles, red cards, and chances to win free game tickets or one of Fayre Playβs signature giant yellow plush ducks.
Fayre Play's Dragonsβ Den appearance put the brand before a national television audience, and could bring the North East location future funding and business support as Fayre Play expands beyond Newcastle.
Share