Ashford Get Ready for LOOP!
Posted on 10 November 2026A new all-day destination at Elwick Place is set to give people more reasons to visit Ashford town centre, supporting local jobs and adding to the borough’s leisure offer.
Loop Ashford opens on Friday 27 November 2026, bringing cinema, social games, live events, food and drink and flexible workspace together under one roof. The £2.4 million investment will create 35 new jobs, with recruitment now complete and the team preparing to welcome visitors.
For Ashford town centre, the opening is a welcome investment in its future. Combining daytime activities with evening entertainment could encourage people to visit more often and stay longer, creating opportunities for nearby shops, restaurants and other businesses to benefit from additional footfall and spending.
The benefits could extend across the wider borough too. A broader choice of leisure activities gives residents more reasons to spend their time and money locally, while offering businesses another venue for team get-togethers, events and flexible working.
Cinema remains at the heart of Loop, alongside new ways to meet, eat, play and work. The mix is designed to appeal to families, friends, colleagues and visitors, helping Elwick Place build its role as a destination throughout the day and into the evening.
We’ve put a huge amount of work into bringing Loop to life, and it’s exciting to be just weeks away from opening our doors. There’s so much to look forward to, from the range of games and live events to the new food and drink offer. Whether people come in for an hour or spend the whole day with us, we want them to have a great experience and leave already looking forward to their next visit. We can’t wait to welcome everyone in and show them what Loop has to offer.
Keith Pullinger, The Big Picture
More reasons to visit the town centre
Loop’s social games offer includes bowling, golf simulators, interactive darts, karaoke, shuffleboard, pool, interactive shooting and batting cages. Bookings are now open for visitors planning a family outing, an evening with friends or a team event.
The events programme adds another reason to make a trip into town, with comedy nights featuring performers from TV, film and the UK comedy circuit. Other events include quiz nights, speed dating, Bandeoke, a festive Jazz Brunch and a Polar Express Pyjama Party. A New Year’s Eve Gala Evening will feature a screening of West Side Story.
Fitness, wellbeing and dance classes, including Zumba, Cardio HIIT, Pilates and Salsa, will add to the activities available to residents across the borough.
Supporting a lively local economy
Food and drink will be part of the all-day offer, with a menu featuring burgers, pizzas, tacos and sharing dishes, alongside wines, beers, cocktails and mocktails.
By combining leisure, hospitality and workspace, Loop could help draw different audiences into the town centre at different times. For the local economy, the opportunity lies not only in the new jobs at the venue but also in encouraging repeat visits and greater spending in the surrounding area.
A new option for local businesses
With Christmas approaching, Loop is also taking group bookings for festive celebrations, offering games, food and drink packages for colleagues, businesses, friends and families.
For businesses across the borough, the venue adds a town-centre option for staff celebrations and team activities, alongside its flexible workspace offer.
