PINBALL wizards from across the country came to Salisbury’s Churchfields industrial estate for Special When Lit, a workshop for enthusiasts set up by local pinball champion Peter Blakemore.
Visitors played on a selection of 12 pinball machines, from 1970s classics to more modern machines.
Mr Blakemore, a competitor in the 2009 World Pinball Championships in August, was delighted with the event. “Although we only set up the event a couple of months ago, nearly 50 people came along, and everybody had a superb time.
“With the game of pinball no longer being found in public locations it will only survive if clubs are formed so that people can get together to play. These clubs have taken off in a big way in Europe and we seem to be lagging behind in this country. We hope to rectify this in Salisbury and help lead the way for the rest of the country.”
Mr Blakemore has plans to take Special When Lit further next year, opening events to the general public, and is confident they will prove popular. “Once you’ve played a good pinball machine, even the best video games can seem pretty two-dimensional by comparison,” he said.
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