Meet the Dark Master: the escape room that outsmarts expectations

Since opening in 2020, Dark Master has grown into a four-room adventure packed with cinematic sets, clever puzzles and unexpected twists. From corporate celebrations and family outings to marriage proposals, it has become a place where challenge meets unforgettable moments, says its owner Jane Smith…

Dark Master is the brainchild of my daughter Ellie. She wanted to run her own business and had all the creative ideas for an escape room, having played several herself over the years.

We opened Dark Master on May 28, 2020, on Plumyfeather Lane in Crowborough. Ellie designed all four rooms, and the sets were built at the same time by a professional set creator. But, as with any escape room, it takes time to perfect the puzzles and the flow. So, we opened with just two rooms at first: a jungle-themed adventure called Into the Reliquary and an aeroplane scenario called One Wing Airlines. They were, and still are, hugely popular and remain our best sellers. Gradually we added Shamley’s Toy Shop and, just last year, Arctic Tundra Station 108.

So who is the Dark Master? Well, he is not evil, but a clever and cunning games master. The challenge is to beat him at his own puzzles and escape within the time.

My initial role was to help run the rooms, and both Ellie and in the beginning I worked six days a week, handling all the bookings ourselves. It soon became apparent we needed some help, so we began hiring for weekends and evenings.

Five years on, I no longer run rooms very often, only in an emergency. These days I focus on marketing, staffing, and general admin. We now have a team of around six part-time staff who share shifts, and my daughter, who has returned from maternity leave, works two days a week. Ellie runs our social media and tweaks any details in the rooms that might need attention. Rather excitingly, she has a fantastic design for a new room in the pipeline…

Our Dark Master team enjoy their interaction with the public, whether it is chatting about how something works or receiving feedback after a game. There is never a dull moment. Of course, things sometimes go wrong: visitors lose locks or keys, props get broken, and with another team waiting a quick search or a dab of glue is often needed. Thinking on your feet is essential.

There are many escape rooms now, but we pride ourselves on our immersive, high-quality sets, our attention to detail, and our unexpected special effects. We even have a unique water feature that is not found anywhere else. The Facebook Escape Room Enthusiasts group heard about us and put us on the map in our first year, which really kick-started our success and for which we are very grateful.

We have many repeat customers who start with our 60-minute escape rooms and then move on to our 90-minute challenges. Some enjoy them so much they come back a year later to play again. They might remember the room but not the answers! We have even had a bride give our gift vouchers as wedding favours, hosted stag and hen parties, and seen three marriage proposals and even a wedding reception in our rooms! That is something we never envisaged, but it shows the appeal for enthusiasts.

Our customer base is wonderfully varied. Families often bring teenagers and grandparents, and that mix of wisdom and patience works well in an escape room. We host birthday parties, exam celebrations, and groups who just want to have fun. Couples come for something more than just a drink at the pub on date night. Our players range in age from about 10 to 80.

We also have a small corporate base where local companies bring their teams for Christmas celebrations, to mark the completion of a contract, or simply as a treat. Escape rooms are a great leveller, with everyone focused on the same goal. Directors and juniors work side by side, and sometimes new, unexpected skills come to light.

If I had to choose three words to describe the Dark Master they would be unexpected, challenging and fun.

www.darkmaster.co.uk

facebook.com/DarkmasterEscapeRooms

instagram.com/darkmasterescaperooms