Brighton's Paradox Place to close due to rising energy costs

Paradox Place in Gloucester Road, Brighton, offers visitors four floors of optical illusions, immersive and interactive artworks and magic tricks to explore.

However, after less than two years, the attraction will close its doors after it saw energy bills jump by 700 per cent and visitor numbers plummet as households struggle with rising costs.

The company said they were taking the “heart-breaking” decision to close with “huge sadness”.

The attraction, full of optical illusions, has been forced to close due to a drop in visitor numbers and rising energy costs

They said: “We have been open around 21 months and business was steadily growing as we had hoped.

“Then the cost of living crisis hit and, at the start of summer 2022, our numbers dropped by half.

“Later in the year, our energy bills went up by 700 per cent - and it is a large Victorian building we are heating.

“These, along with increased staff costs, have devastated our business plan and left us in a position where if we stayed open any longer, we would not be able to afford to pay our bills and we have had to make the heart-breaking decision to close the doors.

“We close proud in the knowledge that, in our attraction’s short lifetime, we have hosted over 50,000 visitors from both near and far, plus over 100 kids parties and corporate events.

“We are humbled by all the kind words left by our visitors who have helped us to a Google rating of 4.8 and put us in the top 15 of all things to do in Brighton on TripAdvisor.”

The attraction thanked its staff “who worked so hard and put their all into making Paradox Place a fun place to work and visit”.

Paradox Place will remain open over half term for a final send-off, before closing its doors for the final time on February 19.

Although the attraction is run by the same team behind the Pier Pressure escape rooms, they are unaffected by the decision, with all games open as usual.