DAYSOUT
CREATIVE CHAOS AT THE PANIC ROOM GRAVESEND
EVERY SO OFTEN, THE iK TEAM TAKES SOME TIME OUT FROM THE OFFICE TO REVIVE OUR CREATIVE SPIRIT. SO, ON A SUN-SOAKED THURSDAY MORNING, WE LEFT OUR DESKS AND HEADED FOR THE MARITIME TOWN OF GRAVESEND WITH ONLY ONE DESTINATION IN MIND: THE PANIC ROOM. BY EMILY STURGEON
Founded in 2016 by husband and wife Alex and Monique Souter, the couple discovered their love of escape rooms while living in Atlanta, Georgia, which led them to starting their very own venture in the historic riverside town of Gravesend. With major expansions happening over the years, The Panic Room is now the ultimate entertainment centre- with a wide range of activities and immersive experiences to enjoy, the space continues to grow year by year.
SPLATTER STUDIO
Team iK was in much need of a creativelydriven day out and our time at The Panic Room delivered exactly that. When we arrived, we were warmly greeted by Alex, who welcomed us through the main entrance. Passing a retro gaming arcade, we headed up the stairs towards the Splatter Studio.
Unlike your typical painting session, where you might sit quietly and leisurely pick up your paintbrush, this session was entirely different- before we began, we were each handed a poncho and shoe covers in a clear sign that this was no ordinary art experience.
Once covered head to toe in our protective gear and feeling slightly less glamorous than we had five minutes before, we left our belongings( and perhaps our dignity) safely tucked away in our lockers, ready to step inside the studio.
Once inside, we were met with walls drenched in vibrant paint splatters. The iK team were each assigned a white canvas as we stood next to stations fully equipped with paintbrushes, cloths and water for cleaning, while a bench in the middle had a colourful selection of paints for us to choose from. After a short introduction from the wonderful Monique, we were left for an hour, ready to paint our canvases, or should I say more accurately, ourselves.
Within only a short matter of minutes, I saw paint flying across the room, landing on both our canvases and my once clean poncho. For the iK team, there was no chance of any of us becoming the next Picasso; we were there to have fun and embrace the mess.
This is the beauty of the Splatter Studio. Of course it is ideal for friends, families and children to get stuck into, but it also offers the chance to create something truly memorable, with the option for couples to paint one large canvas. The space is incredibly versatile, making it a memorable experience that’ s as creative or as messy as you like.
Halfway through the session, by which point we were already covered in more paint than our canvases, Monique told us that the fun had only just begun. Before we could register our initial excited confusion, the studio was quickly transformed into a glow-in-the-dark experience, which made each of us quickly return to our posts to splatter once again, proving the experience here only gets better.
At the end of our session, we peeled off our ponchos and shoe covers, with wipes on hand to tackle any paint that had made its way onto our faces( some of us more than others). We left on a high and in much need of some well-earned refreshments and, with The Panic Room having a dedicated bar, dining space and karaoke rooms, the fun continued well beyond the studio.
The dining area offered a wide selection of pizzas to choose from, where we all eagerly tucked in while our freshly painted canvases were carefully packed into boxes ready for us to take home. Feeling refreshed, we headed towards the Like TV Game Shows experience for yet more fun with our creative spirits restored.
72 • www. insidekent. co. uk