We are not just owners,
but enthusiasts too!
Many years ago Kelly took a trip to visit family in Alabama USA. It was unseasonably wet and many of her plans were rained off. Her uncle suggested we try this “new thing called an escape room”. With no idea what to expect Kelly, accompanied by her Auntie, Uncle and three cousins visited Breakout Alabama…. The rest, as they say, is history!
On returning to the UK Kelly was keen to introduce her family and friends to Escape Rooms and we looked up the closest one to us, at the time this was Room Lockdown in Hornchurch and off we went. From this day on Rich was also hooked and with his specialist skill set it may be fair to say that he was more interested in the build and the mechanics behind the technology involved in creating escape rooms rather than the puzzles and Rich quickly floated the ambition of one day building his own.
Many, many more games followed and our regular team was forming. Of course we played with our family and friends who enjoyed themselves but not clearly as much as Kelly, Rich and Gem who would continue to play as a three whenever and wherever possible.
In November 2019 Kelly and Rich decided to take the plunge and rented a former gym in an industrial unit and they set about transforming it into what it is today and began designing and creating their very own unique escape rooms. Little did they know that a global pandemic was just around the corner which threw a rather large spanner in the works both in terms of building our rooms and also playing ourselves.
The global pandemic and numerous lockdowns and restrictions made playing in person rooms impossible for a while so attentions switched to online games before finally getting back out to play again when the restrictions were finally eased.
The Needs More Sharks team is often just Kelly, Rich and Gem but we are also often joined by EO Gamesmasters, Kodi and Lily too.
Kelly, Rich and Gem have now each played over 100 rooms. We have played local rooms, some a few hours drive away and have recently returned from a ‘binge’ few days away in Nottingham and Reading. We have played some good games, many great games and some absolutely fantastic ones and we are often asked which is our favourite, so here it is….
How many have we played and which is our favourite?
Kel
PLAYED – 310
FAVOURITE – The Great Loudini – Escapable, Wakefield
Rich
PLAYED – 277
FAVOURITE – The Great Loudini – Escapable, Wakefield
Gem
PLAYED – 143
FAVOURITE – Pudding Lane – Time Trap, Reading
Kodi
PLAYED – 52
FAVOURITE – The Jungle – Escape Rooms Suffolk
Lily
PLAYED – 29
FAVOURITE – Twilight Manor – Cluetopia, Ipswich
Our Team Photos
Here are just some of our photos we have collected over the years. Look closely… you may recognise some of the rooms we have played!
We are always happy to recommend games that we have played and enjoyed and likewise are always looking for recommendations of must play games from you too!
Our 'Milestone' Photos
Kel's room 100
Guardian of the Gallery
Want to Escape
Rushden
Rich's room 100
Dreamscape
Cryptology
Nottingham
Gem's room 100
Blood over Baker Street
Hackers
Billericay
Kel's room 150
Diamond Dogs
Clue Cracker
Tonbridge Wells
Rich's room 150
The Tormentor
Trapp’d
Corby
Gem's room 150
TBC
Kel's room 200
Rich's room 200
Gem's room 200
Pudding Lane
Time Trap
Reading
The Mayan Temple
LockHouse Escape Games
Cambridge
Kel's room 250
The Basement
Unsolved Mysteries
Fort Amherst
Rich's room 250
The Great Loudini
Escapable
Wakefield
Kel' Room 300
The Temple of Shadows
Escape Nation
Stafford
Why "Needs more Sharks"?
For a long time we played under the name EO Escape Rooms and we decided that it was time to be different and sometimes it is nice to go and play a game as an enthusiast and not an owner. After all just because we own an escape room doesn’t mean we are actually any good at playing them!
After several suggestions we couldn’t agree until Rich mentioned a common suggestion he left on feedback forms at the end of his holidays when asked “what would improve your holiday?” The answer was always the same. It didn’t matter if Rich was on his honeymoon in the Maldives, skiing in Lapland or a city break in Europe his suggestion would always be the same, “needs more sharks”! And so we decided to go with it!
The Little Sharks
Because it is never too early for Little E and Little O to enter into the world of playing escape rooms. Richard’s daughter Emily (6 years old) and Kelly’s daughter Olivia (5 years old) are loving joining us in playing the odd game here and there. Even Joey (Richard’s 3 year old) has joined us a couple of times too!
We are always on the look out for games that are suitable for us to take them to so any recommendations you have would be most welcome!
Their first game they played with us was Sausage Surprise and both Little E and Little O absolutely loved it, even if they do think that all we do for a job is lock people up and look for sausages!
