It's a gimmicky but glorious throwback to untroubled times

EXPLORING RETRO DELIGHTS OF GAMING BAR NQ64

- By GEORGE PALMER-SOADY

WITH more variety than ever, it can be easy to write off a lot of Nottingham city centre's bars and pubs as lending themselves to gimmicks.

We have bars that serve milkshakes and Pot Noodle at lam, while others pride themselves on hidden underground rooms - it can be easy to turn your nose up at what's on offer.

I'm sure many people would put one of Nottingham's newest bars, NQ64, in this category. Selling itself as a bar full of 1980s arcade machines and retro consoles - with a full list of video game-themed cocktails to go with it - it might seem it has all the makings of another gimmick.

But visiting NQ64, I found it to be quite the opposite.

I was quite sceptical about a bar where the focus is playing on arcade machines. Sure, that sounds fun for a while but is it really something you can spend your whole night doing? And how much extra would it cost you to use the machines on top of buying your drink?

It's safe to say the bar which opened in the former Roxy Ballroom in Thurland Street at the end of March - isn't the cheapest.