12/03/2026
4 Wednesday, March 11, 2026 | www.thebeacon.co.nz Arcade owners hope popular
family hub will be kept open
NEWS
Tamara Herdman
Staff reporter
THE owners of Playland Entertainment
Arcade on The Strand are searching for
the right person to take over the busi-
ness.
Owner John Cassidy opened the
arcade in November 2024, with the
intention of creating something for the
town that didn’t already exist.
“This place brings families and extend-
ed family together,” Mr Cassidy said.
“It is a great place to meet, greet and
catch up, and you can also have some
fun.
“There’s been nothing like this in
Whakatāne in around 20 years.”
He launched the business with help
from his son, Jaden, who manages the
arcade day-to-day.
The pair initially planned to run the
business for around 12 months before
passing it on to someone else who could
continue building on what they had
started.
The time has arrived.
Jaden is preparing to return to
Australia at the end of March, while Mr
Cassidy and his wife remain based in
Tauranga.
With travel between the two towns
proving difficult long-term, the family
hopes a local owner will step forward.
“We’ve made it known that we’re here
to provide a venue for birthdays and
everything else,” said Mr Cassidy.
“It’s hard for me to just close the doors,
I hope we can pass it over to somebody
that’s capable and motivated.”
“I strongly believe that our arcade
plays a vital role in the community and
that it’s essential to keep it open,” Jaden
said.
“Not only does it provide a safe and
welcoming environment for families and
individuals, it also offers opportunities
for socialisation, education, and skill-
building.”
The arcade includes a large range of
COMMUNITY HUB: John and
Jaden Cassidy outside the
Playland Entertainment Arcade,
which they hope will remain
open under new ownership.
Photo supplied
machines, interactive games and a prize
system designed to appeal to children,
teenagers, and adults alike.
“Our arcade has received universally
positive feedback from the community,
with people from all walks of life visiting
and enjoying our facilities,” said Jaden.
“We’ve had grandparents bringing
their grandchildren, parents competing
against each other on our air hockey
tables, and even hosted events for local
schools and organisations.”
One memorable visit involved 25 chil-
dren from the Busy Buddyz after-school
programme, who spent the afternoon at
the arcade.
“They had an absolute blast,” Jaden
said.
“Seeing kids come in and enjoy them-
selves like that really shows what this
place can offer the community.”
Another memorable occasion was
when a TV crew hired the arcade for
two hours and spoke only te reo Maori
while filming.
The arcade has also supported local
education initiatives. Jaden said they
had worked closely with Trident High
School to provide work placement oppor-
tunities for students with disabilities.
“It’s a space that is all-inclusive and
welcoming,” Mr Cassidy said.
“We’ll have a birthday party here and
the parents who come often haven’t seen
each other for a while. They say, ‘this is
cool.’
“It’s set up so you can relax while the
kids are occupied.”
As well as the birthday party room,
there is a parents’ corner with couches
where adults can relax while children
are entertained. Despite economic pres-
sures affecting many businesses, Mr
Cassidy said the arcade had performed
well and remained a viable opportunity
for someone looking to step into a ready-
to-run operation.
He said the ideal new owner was
someone who valued the community
aspect as much as the business itself.
“We’d love someone to take over who
cares about the town and sees the bigger
picture,” Mr Cassidy said.
“It’s a very easy business to get your
head around, it’s easy to run and func-
tion. And there’s plenty of room to grow
and get creative with what’s already
here.”
Reflecting on the past year, Jaden
said the support from the community
had made the venture worthwhile.
“I’d like to extend our heartfelt grati-
tude to all the wonderful families and
community members who’ve supported
us,” he said. “It’s been an incredible
experience.”
To find out more, visit Playland Entertainment Whakatāne
