Lovers of horror and suspense will soon be able to indulge themselves in Meppel, or let them beat much faster. The empty school building that used to house the LTS and Stad en Esch Randweg is currently being converted into a major ‘horror experience’. Fifty actors will terrify visitors.
The company is now coming up with a new concept. The empty secondary school serves as the setting for a game in which fifty actors make you feel as if you have landed in a real horror film. Visitors will find themselves in a scenario full of zombies, a deadly virus and various rooms such as a military base and a prison.
“I’ve always been a fan of horror events,” says creator Alita Smit. “But I always thought it was such a shame that you never had a choice and always walked only one route. I wanted to feel like I had actually ended up in a horror movie and that’s how the adventure games came about. An event where you can go in all directions , which is surprising, where you feel like you’re actually in danger, where you can fight back and collect weapons. An experience that seems lifelike.”
The three-hour game is for adults only and will take place over the weekends of November. At the beginning of this year, the local VVD faction in Meppel criticized the events in the building. Councilor Jan Roelof Meesters found it remarkable that games are being organized, even though this location is suitable for housing construction and the housing market is overheated.
Today, the project developer reports that hard work is being done in the background on the new plans and the necessary permits for the redevelopment. This must be completed in January or February, so that the conversion of the old school building into apartments and offices can start in 2023.
“It is a special building, a provincial monument, which makes the permit complicated and it takes a while,” reports the developer. “That’s why we think the events are a nice interim solution, but we hope to start construction next year.”