UK esports and gaming bar chain Platform closes down

UK-based gaming and esports bar chain Platform has closed its doors permanently.

Platform ran two London-based bars in Shoreditch and Canary Wharf, the latter of which only opened last year.

Since the company’s formation in 2018, Platform has held a variety of local esports-focused community events. This includes the likes of watch parties and hosted social events, such as Esports Insider’s Hall of Fame in 2022. Last year, the chain also secured a partnership with AGON by AOC.

The news of Platform’s closure was first reported by Esports News UK and has since been confirmed by Esports Insider. According to Esports News UK, Platform’s partners were sent an internal message stating that the company has been placed into voluntary liquidation. Moreover, the message highlighted that insolvency firm Antony Batty & Company LLP will assist with this process.

As of this writing, Platform has yet to officially confirm the closure on its own channels, or update its company information on Companies House. However, Platform’s venues are listed as permanently closed on Google and users are now unable to make bookings on the company’s website. 

Platform’s closure follows another gaming-focused venue, Liverpool’s LevelTap, also closing its doors earlier this month despite only being in operation for less than a year. On the venue’s Instagram, LevelTap noted that “current market conditions have made it increasingly challenging for independent startups like ours to grow at an affordable rate.”

Gaming and esports cafe chain SideQuest also recently closed its Westfield, London, venue, however, the company has since opened a new location in Canterbury.

The venue closures highlight economic struggles that esports and gaming-focused companies continue to face in the UK and globally. These closures also come at a time when the UK will host many major esports events, including the League of Legends World Finals, BLAST Premier Spring Finals and ESL One Birmingham.