A NEW gaming centre could be opening in Basildon’s Festival Leisure Park.

Currently, dessert parlour Sprinkles Gelato only uses just over half of Unit 8d on the retail park.

Owners of the chain, Indulge Holdings, has now applied to Basildon Council to change the use of the rest of unit so new business Legends can take over the rest.

Legends is a private XBox or Playstation gaming, private karaoke and simulator family play centre.

It plans to provide three rooms which would stage either karaoke or gaming depending on the customer’s choice and a mezzanine floor will provide two large simulators where customers can play golf, go racing, go shooting, play tennis, take penalties or free kicks against the best goalkeepers in the world and much more.

Councillor David Sheppard said: “I think it will give somewhere for the kids to go rather than hanging around on the street corners.

“There used to be one in the town centre near to where Poppins is now but that closed up so I don’t know how well it will do.

“I think it is a good location for it.

“We need more places for the young people to go as most of the youth centres and other places are gone. It will give them somewhere to go, especially during the half term holidays.

“They will have to be careful with the opening times though as we don’t want children skipping school to go.”

Independent councillor Kerry Smith added: “It sounds good.

“It is always good to see businesses opening up.

“This should keep young people off the streets.”

It is not the first new attraction opening up out of Basildon town centre.

Last year, a £1.2million go-karting facility opened in the nearby Festival Way.

The track was the 24th that TeamSport have opened across the country and it has already proved a popular attraction for local residents and those from further afield.

No-one from either Legends or Indulge Holdings was available for comment.

Elsewhere in the town, there are other plans for more leisure facilities.

Basildon Council has submitted an application to build a ten-screen cinema in East Square, Basildon town centre.

The new building will also have a number of restaurants.

Basildon Council has yet to determine whether permission for the change of use will be granted or refused.