500+ free-roam venues with happy operators! –
Levels is a new gaming and digital hub that represents a £4.6 million redevelopment of the former Whittles furniture building in Whitehaven.
This ambitious project marks Cumbria’s first dedicated centre for digital innovation and gaming, positioning Whitehaven at the forefront of immersive technology and creative learning in the region.
Key aspects of Levels include:
The significance of this investment cannot be overstated. With £4.6 million directed towards transforming the old Whittles building into a state-of-the-art digital hub, Whitehaven takes a major step forward in establishing itself as a centre for technological growth and creative industries. Levels gaming hub is not just about play; it’s a platform for innovation, education, and community engagement that promises to energize the local economy while inspiring the next generation of digital talent.
The launch of this Whitehaven digital hub with its headline attraction—the expansive VR arcade—signals a commitment to blending entertainment with practical skills development through immersive tech. Whether you are a casual gamer, an aspiring developer, or part of an esports team, Levels offers facilities tailored to meet diverse interests and ambitions.
The Whittles building, a well-known landmark on Duke Street in Whitehaven, used to be home to the popular furniture store that served the local community for many years. When it closed down, it left a gap in the town center. However, forward-thinking individuals who believed in revitalizing the area through technology and creativity saw the potential of this site. Now, this former retail space has undergone an incredible transformation and is now known as Levels, Cumbria’s leading digital and gaming hub.
Funding for this ambitious project was secured through a strategic partnership involving influential stakeholders dedicated to social impact and regional development:
This blend of heritage preservation, modern design, and collaborative funding marks the Whittles building redevelopment as a model example of how dormant urban spaces can be repurposed to serve new industries and communities. The partnership approach harnesses local knowledge and external resources to create an inclusive hub where technology meets culture — setting a strong foundation for Levels’ multifaceted activities across its four floors.
The ground floor of Levels sets the tone with a vibrant café space designed to be welcoming and inclusive. This area is more than just a place to grab a coffee; it acts as a social hub where visitors can connect, relax, and immerse themselves in gaming culture. Local entrepreneur Louise Murphy curates the café’s atmosphere, emphasizing community engagement and offering locally sourced food and beverages. Screens showcase live esports tournaments and gaming demos, inviting both casual visitors and enthusiasts to enjoy the action.
Adjacent to the café, the esports area caters to gamers of all ages. Equipped with high-end PCs and Meta Quest 3 headsets, this zone supports competitive and cooperative gaming experiences. Professional esports teams benefit from free access to this space, allowing them to practice in a dedicated environment that fosters skill development. Casual gamers find plenty of opportunities to join matches or spectate exciting competitions.
Levels’ esports hub stands out by combining accessibility with cutting-edge technology. The integration of immersive digital tools ensures that beginners feel welcome while serious players have resources necessary for training and growth. This inclusive design reflects Levels’ commitment to nurturing talent within Whitehaven’s evolving digital landscape.
Other features on this floor include:
The ground floor balances social spaces with high-tech gaming infrastructure, creating an environment where education, competition, and leisure coexist seamlessly. It forms the foundation for what Levels aims to accomplish as Cumbria’s premier digital and gaming hub.
The first floor of Levels is dedicated to immersive training environments and the North’s largest VR arcade, combining cutting-edge technology with practical learning spaces. This floor provides a unique blend of education and entertainment that supports both vocational training and gaming experiences.
Immersive classrooms equipped with advanced digital tools allow students and professionals to engage in realistic simulations. A standout feature is the aviation simulator, offering hands-on experience for aviation enthusiasts and learners seeking technical skills in flight operations. The Lauren AI chatbot serves as an interactive assistant, enhancing learning by providing real-time support and information during training sessions. High-end PCs complement the immersive classrooms, enabling resource-intensive applications such as 3D modelling, game design, and virtual collaboration exercises. These facilities are designed to accommodate schools, colleges, and vocational learners looking to develop practical digital skills in a dynamic setting.
The VR arcade spans a significant area filled with the latest Meta Quest 3 headsets, delivering high-resolution visuals and precise motion tracking. Players can enjoy a wide variety of VR games including racing simulators, cooperative team challenges, and competitive multiplayer battles. Virtual escape rooms add a puzzle-solving element that requires teamwork and critical thinking within fully immersive virtual environments. Haptic feedback gear such as vests and guns increases immersion by simulating physical sensations corresponding to in-game actions. The arcade is accessible to all ages, catering to casual gamers, esports competitors, and those new to virtual reality.
This floor reflects Levels’ commitment to merging educational innovation with high-quality entertainment. By providing immersive classrooms alongside the largest VR arcade in the North, it creates an environment where learning meets excitement on every visit.
The second floor of Levels is designed to foster creativity and technical skill development with a range of high-tech media production facilities. This space caters to aspiring content creators, sound engineers, and digital artists, equipped with tools that support professional-grade output and innovative learning.
The second floor’s robust setup is supported by high-end PCs optimized for media editing tasks alongside VR experiences powered by the latest Meta Quest 3 headsets. This combination ensures seamless performance whether you are editing a podcast episode or testing virtual environments developed on the first floor’s VR arcade.
This creative media hub sits alongside other Levels features such as the café space where visitors can relax or network while enjoying local refreshments, the esports area buzzing with competitive gaming action, immersive classrooms equipped with AI tools like the Lauren AI chatbot to enhance learning, and specialized simulators including an aviation simulator that broadens experiential training options.
Each facility on this floor provides a unique opportunity to acquire practical skills relevant to today’s digital content industry while encouraging collaboration across various disciplines within the Levels community.
Levels dedicates its third floor to a relaxation and social gaming space designed to complement the high-tech excitement found on the lower levels. This area offers a quieter environment where visitors can unwind while still engaging with interactive and social forms of entertainment.
The combination of low-tech social games alongside high-end PCs and VR gear downstairs reflects Levels’ holistic approach: balancing intense digital engagement with opportunities for human connection. This blend caters to diverse preferences, making Levels more than just a gaming venue—it’s a community space that supports interaction in multiple formats.
In this way, Whitehaven’s newest digital hub creates an inclusive environment where technology-driven entertainment meets traditional social activities, all within the redeveloped former Whittles furniture building that now serves as a £4.6 million beacon for innovation in Cumbria.
Levels’ VR arcade stands out as the North’s largest and most advanced virtual reality gaming environment. Designed to deliver an unmatched level of immersion, the arcade features an array of cutting-edge VR stations equipped with the latest haptic feedback equipment. Players can gear up with haptic vests and specially designed guns that simulate realistic sensations of impact and recoil, intensifying the gaming experience beyond mere visuals and sounds.
Each station is fitted with high-resolution headsets and motion tracking sensors, ensuring precise movement replication. The integration of haptic vests allows you to feel every hit, collision, or environmental effect within the game.
Unlike traditional stationary VR setups, the free-roam arena offers a dynamic gameplay space where you physically move around while interacting with virtual objects. This setup encourages full-body engagement and more natural player interactions within games.
The arcade also incorporates Moza R5 racing simulators, delivering thrilling driving experiences complete with motion feedback. These simulators provide realistic racing sensations through synchronized seat movements matching in-game actions like acceleration, braking, and cornering.
The combination of immersive haptic feedback gear and expansive free-roam zones creates a multi-sensory environment that pushes the boundaries of conventional gaming. Whether you’re engaging in cooperative missions or competitive challenges, the tactile responses from vests and guns add a new layer of realism. Free-roam arenas break down physical barriers typical in VR by allowing unrestricted movement that enhances spatial awareness and player interaction.
This setup appeals not only to avid gamers but also to newcomers eager to explore interactive technology in an accessible yet thrilling setting. The variety of games available spans genres from fast-paced shooters to intricate puzzle-solving scenarios, catering to diverse tastes while showcasing innovative VR capabilities.
By integrating these advanced technologies into one cohesive space, Levels’ VR arcade redefines how you experience digital entertainment—making it a central attraction for visitors seeking next-level immersion combined with social engagement opportunities.
Levels offers a diverse range of workshops aimed at equipping you with practical digital skills. These sessions cater to different interests and skill levels, providing hands-on learning in areas such as:
Utilize advanced audio labs where you can learn the intricacies of sound design and production. These courses are ideal for those looking to enter music production, podcasting, or audio post-production industries.
Leverage motion capture technology and creative media studios to bring animated characters and environments to life. This training supports learners interested in film, gaming, and virtual reality content creation.
Engage with industry-standard software and hardware to develop your own games. Sessions include coding basics, level design, storytelling, and integrating VR elements.
The use of motion capture technology across several programs enhances the learning experience by providing real-time feedback on movement and animation, bridging the gap between theory and practice.
Support extends beyond individual learners to professional esports teams. Levels grants free access to its esports zones, allowing teams to train in an environment equipped with high-performance gaming rigs and reliable internet connectivity. This support helps nurture local talent while fostering a competitive gaming community.
Community engagement is a core part of Levels’ mission. By hosting regular events, open days, and collaborative projects with schools and colleges, the hub creates opportunities for knowledge exchange and networking among students, professionals, and enthusiasts alike.
Hands-on workshops combined with state-of-the-art facilities make Levels not just a place to play but a center for skill-building that prepares you for careers in today’s digital economy.
Levels is a new gaming and digital hub that represents a £4.6 million redevelopment of the former Whittles furniture building in Whitehaven. Its design integrates immersive training and classroom environments alongside the North’s largest VR arcade, featuring racing, co-op, competitive gaming, and virtual escape rooms. Such advanced offerings demand constant attention to technology standards.
Commitment to Cutting-Edge Facilities
Levels undergoes regular technology reviews by BEC, the social impact property developer behind the project. These assessments ensure all hardware and software remain state-of-the-art. Equipment updates are scheduled systematically to keep pace with rapid advancements in VR gear, gaming consoles, audio systems, and computer workstations. The VR arcade benefits from continuous upgrades to haptic feedback vests, motion sensors, and interactive peripherals that elevate player immersion. Classroom and training spaces receive periodic software refreshes supporting immersive learning applications, motion capture tools, and sound engineering platforms.
BEC’s role extends beyond construction and funding to long-term maintenance and tech strategy. This approach guarantees Levels stays relevant as a leading digital hub rather than becoming outdated quickly.
You can expect the hub to adapt swiftly to emerging trends such as expanded VR content libraries, improved network infrastructure for esports competitions, and enhanced user experience through upgraded interfaces. This future-proofing philosophy supports Whitehaven’s ambition to remain a regional innovation hotspot with sustainable growth in digital skills development and entertainment provision.
Levels is leading an incredible Whitehaven digital transformation by transforming the old Whittles furniture building into a lively £4.6 million gaming and digital center. This redevelopment puts Whitehaven on the map as a hub for technological innovation, combining immersive training environments with the North’s largest VR arcade to deliver cutting-edge experiences.
The impact of Levels on the community goes beyond just entertainment. It acts as an active educational resource, offering practical skills development through immersive classrooms and workshops focused on sound engineering, game design, and motion capture technology. This hands-on learning approach prepares local youth for careers in digital industries while nurturing creativity and confidence.
Community building flourishes within Levels’ inviting spaces—from the social café to esports arenas and board game rooms—where people of all ages come together to connect, collaborate, and compete. The free access for professional esports teams and open zones encourages local talent growth and shared passion for gaming culture.
Another important outcome is economic revitalization. Levels attracts visitors, supports local entrepreneurs like café operator Louise Murphy, and partners with organizations such as Sellafield Ltd and BEC to ensure long-term growth. The combination of education, entertainment, and social interaction creates a vibrant ecosystem that fuels Whitehaven’s future prosperity.
Key highlights of Levels’ contribution:
Levels represents the potential of technology-led regeneration to reshape a town’s identity and opportunities. As Whitehaven embraces this new digital hub, it sets an example for how innovation can simultaneously drive education, entertainment, community engagement, and economic renewal.
Levels is Cumbria’s first digital and gaming hub, located in Whitehaven. It is a £4.6 million redevelopment of the former Whittles furniture building, transforming it into a state-of-the-art gaming and digital center.
Levels features immersive training and classroom environments, the North’s largest VR arcade with racing, co-op, competitive gaming, virtual escape rooms, high-end PCs, Meta Quest 3 headsets, esports areas, an aviation simulator, a café space, creative media studios including podcasting suites and audio labs, and social gaming spaces.
The transformation of the Whittles building into Levels was funded through a £4.6 million investment supported by Sellafield Ltd Social Impact Multiplied scheme (SiX funding), as well as partnerships with BT and BEC.
Levels spans four floors: The Ground Floor offers a welcoming café and esports hub open to all ages; the First Floor houses immersive training environments, the largest VR arcade in the North with haptic feedback gear; the Second Floor includes creative media studios with podcasting suites and advanced audio labs; and the Third Floor provides relaxation and social gaming spaces.
Levels offers diverse gaming experiences including virtual reality racing games, co-operative and competitive gaming modes, virtual escape rooms, esports tournaments with free access for professional teams, and immersive VR gameplay using Meta Quest 3 headsets.
Levels incorporates immersive training classrooms equipped with advanced technology to support education and vocational learning. These facilities provide hands-on experience in digital skills development within an innovative environment designed to foster creativity and technical proficiency.
