Grand Opening Launch Event Of Carnival, Golf & Games at Merry Hill, Dudley

Merry Hill, Dudley – Thursday 5 February

Carnival Golf & Games, the newest fun-filled entertainment destination from Funstation, has officially opened its doors at Merry Hill. Bringing together Funstation’s most popular attractions under one roof, the venue builds on more than 20 years of delivering fun across the UK.

The grand opening launch event marked the venue’s official opening with a vibrant celebration, welcoming over 180 guests and creating a buzz throughout the centre and the wider local community. Guests included local businesses, influencers, bloggers, schools, youth organisations such as Dudley Sea Cadets, families from the surrounding area, and members of the media, including the BBC’s Vanessa Pearce, Black Country Radio’s Ken Francis, and Dave Brownhill.

The evening began at 6:00 pm with an exclusive VIP reception, where guests enjoyed complimentary access to Carnival Golf, Volcano Falls Adventure Golf, arcade games, electric darts, and Pixel, an interactive gaming floor. Guests also had the opportunity to book Breakout Escape Rooms, featuring four themed rooms. The atmosphere was brought to life by a spectacular programme of live entertainment, including circus performers, stilt walkers, showgirls, and a Greatest Showman tribute, setting the tone for an unforgettable launch night.

At 7:00 pm, the official ribbon-cutting ceremony took place, led by the Mayor of Dudley, Councillor Pete Lee, alongside his wife, the Mayoress, Mrs Gloria Lee. They were joined by local representatives, including Cat Eccles MP, Councillor Adam Davies, as well as Rays of Sunshine families and members of Dudley Sea Cadets, who attended with their Chairman. The ceremony officially declared Carnival Golf & Games open to the public, after which the doors opened to the public, allowing even more visitors to join the celebrations as the venue filled with laughter and excitement.

The Mayor of Dudley, Councillor Pete Lee, said: “It was a real pleasure to attend today’s opening and to officially cut the ribbon on this fantastic new business. The energy and enthusiasm from the team were clear to see, and it’s wonderful to welcome such investment and ambition into our borough. New businesses bring fresh opportunities, support our local economy and help our high streets thrive. I wish the team every success for the future and look forward to seeing them grow from strength to strength.”

MP Cat Eccles also praised the new venue. She said: “From golf to arcade games, escape rooms to laser tag, there’s something for everyone. “Owners Vanessa and James have built up their family business, with the Merry Hill site being their biggest venture yet. “It was wonderful to meet their partner charity, Rays of Sunshine Children’s Charity, who grant wishes to seriously ill children across the UK. Go and check out the venue and have some fun!”

Cllr Adam Davies said: “It was a real pleasure to attend the opening of Carnival Golf & Games at Merry Hill – and to see local families having so much fun. This exciting new venue is great for the area, creating jobs and bringing fresh leisure opportunities to Brierley Hill. It was especially heartening to hear about Carnival’s long-standing partnership with Rays of Sunshine too, a fantastic charity making a real difference for seriously ill children and their families.” 

As part of the launch, Carnival Golf & Games proudly partnered with Rays of Sunshine, a charity dedicated to brightening the lives of seriously ill children. The venue donated £5,000 to the charity and invited three local families it supports to attend as special guests, including the families of Alfred, Callum, and Sarif. The families enjoyed the evening alongside Sonny, the charity’s mascot, highlighting the venue’s commitment to community engagement and creating meaningful impact.

Amy Chambers, CEO at Rays of Sunshine, says: "The team behind Carnival, Golf and Games have been loyal supporters of Rays of Sunshine for many years, and we were delighted to be able to support them at their grand opening in Merry Hill, and receive a generous donation at the same time.

We rely on the generosity of our partners to brighten the lives of seriously and terminally ill children when they need it most, and we are so grateful for their continued support. Our families were treated like true VIPs all night and we know so many other children in Merry Hill and beyond will love what Carnival, Golf and Games has to offer!"

Catherine Hickman, mum to Alfred, who helped open the new location, said: "It was a huge honour for Alfred to be asked to represent Rays of Sunshine families at the official opening of Carnival Golf and Games and he absolutely loved trying out all of the new activities.

As a local family it's always important to know of places locally that are welcoming and fun for families like ours to visit, and we are hugely grateful to Carnival for the generous support of the charity. It means the world."

With the ribbon officially cut and the doors now open, Carnival Golf & Games is welcoming families, friends, groups, and teams to enjoy a vibrant new addition to Merry Hill, offering an entertainment centre where people can connect, have fun, and create unforgettable memories.

Jonathan Poole, centre manager at Merry Hill, said: “We're thrilled to be expanding Merry Hill's leisure offer even further with the opening of Carnival Golf & Games. The new opening offers visitors a brand-new experience where they can create unforgettable moments together.

“Completing the milestone transformation of the former Debenhams unit and further strengthening our leisure offer, Carnival Golf & Games is an incredible 24,000 sq. ft destination. Featuring a full arcade, crazy golf, darts and even laser tag, it’s a fantastic new space that we’re confident our visitors will love, adding yet another reason to visit Merry Hill.”

James Miller, Owner of Funstation UK, said: “We’re incredibly proud to open Carnival Golf & Games at Merry Hill. This is our biggest venture to date and brings together everything we’ve learned over the past 20 years, helping to deliver even more memorable and fun experiences.”

Carnival Golf & Games is now open at Merry Hill and ready to welcome visitors for endless hours of entertainment and shared experiences. Fun for all ages with multiple activities all under one roof, including: Carnival Golf, Volcano Falls Adventure Golf, Arcade Games, Pixel Floor, BreakOut Escape Rooms, and Laser Station laser tag experience coming soon.

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About Carnival, Golf and Games

Carnival Golf & Games step into the ultimate house of fun to Merry Hill. Lots of activities all under one roof, including 12-hole crazy golf courses: Carnival Golf course and Volcano Falls Adventure Golf, combining immersive themes, interactive elements and larger-than-life obstacles for fun, challenge and laughs for all ages. Beyond the fairway, enjoy the Big Top Arcade, with carnival classic and modern high energy arcade games. Keep the excitement going with Laser Station’s immersive laser tag arena. Challenge your problem-solving skills in our Breakout Escape Rooms, or jump into Pixel, our interactive gaming floor where physical play meets digital worlds. For further information, please visit:  https://www.carnivalgolfandgames.co.uk/merry-hill 

About Funstation UK Funstation is a leading family entertainment centre with multiple locations across the UK, offering a vibrant mix of fun-packed activities for everyone, from classic carnival games to fully immersive and interactive experiences. With its unique cashless system, visitors can load their tokens onto their Funcard and enjoy endless entertainment with a simple tap.

Established in 2004 by founders James and Vanessa Miller, Funstation Ltd© has been delivering memorable experiences for over 20 years. The company operates six exciting brands: Funstation©, Volcano Falls Adventure Golf©, Laser Station©, Carnival Golf and Games©, BreakOut Escape Rooms© and Titanic Desserts©. For further information, please visit:  https://www.funstationuk.com

About Rays of Sunshine Rays of Sunshine brightens the lives of seriously ill young people across the UK by granting wishes and providing ongoing support in hospital and within the community. Rays of Sunshine’s work creates a positive distraction, reduces isolation, improves self-esteem and creates precious memories and smiles. Wishes can be as unique as the children themselves and whether a child wants to be a princess or a fireman for the day, own an iPad, meet a favourite celebrity or even a ‘real life’ mermaid, Rays of Sunshine strives to make that wish come true. For further information, please visit: https://raysofsunshine.org.uk/ Please note that the name ‘Rays of Sunshine’ should always appear written out in full and not abbreviated to ‘Rays’ or ‘RoS’ or any other equivalent.

About Merry Hill

Merry Hill is one of the top 10 retail and leisure destinations in the UK, operating as the premier super regional mall for the West Midlands. With a near 40-year strong legacy, Merry Hill is a go-to West Midlands destination, complete with a diverse all-day offer and a vibrant range of retailers, F&B operators, and leisure experiences.

Merry Hill attracts over 15.3 million visitors every year and is home to more than 170 brands, including the leisure quarter anchor Hollywood Bowl, as well as new dining additions in pan-Asian restaurant Wagamama, ASK Italian, Wingstop, Slim Chicken, Heavenly Desserts, Burger & Sauce and Toledo Lounge. The destination is home to new stores for the likes of Nike Unite, KENJI, and Rituals, and in 2024 international retailer Harvey Norman opened in part of the former Debenhams, alongside the UK debut of fitness operator XF Gym, further diversifying the tenant mix. Merry Hill is also anchored by national powerhouse retailers, such as M&S, Sports Direct, Boots, Primark, Next, and H&M, supplemented by Asda and a 10-screen Odeon, and is for many of its brands consistently a top 10 performing location in the UK.