Urban Fun , London
For modern leisure destinations, signage is about more than just directions; it’s about creating an atmosphere. In a high-energy environment, signage must be dynamic, engaging and capable of guiding guests through a sensory experience that starts at the front door and follows them to every floor.
The Signs Now team recently completed our most ambitious project to date: a comprehensive, multi-floor signage and AV integration for the UK’s newest entertainment powerhouse, Urban Fun, where we helped to transform a former Wilko’s store into London’s latest family attraction.
Summary
Signs Now delivered a massive-scale signage and digital integration package for a new £4 million, multi-level entertainment venue in Kingston upon Thames, transforming a former retail landmark into a high-tech leisure destination.
The Client
Urban Fun, operated by Funbox Entertainment, is a groundbreaking leisure concept located in the heart of London’s Kingston upon Thames. Housed in an iconic building on Clarence Street, the venue spans multiple floors and offers a world-first gaming experience.
From Europe’s first ICEE ‘Slush Rush’ machines to Brunswick duck-pin bowling, augmented reality darts and neo shuffleboard, Urban Fun is designed to be a safe, welcoming space for families, corporate groups and fun-seeking friends.
The Project
The scale of the Urban Fun project required a sophisticated blend of traditional branding and cutting-edge digital technology. As our most ambitious installation to date, Signs Now was tasked with bringing the Urban Fun brand to life across every square inch of the vast, multi-level site.
This project pushed our creative and technical boundaries, allowing us to deploy specialist signage solutions we have never combined on such a grand scale. The project scope was comprehensive, involving:
- Immersive Feature Lighting: To match the venue's high-energy atmosphere, we installed striking infinity mirrors with LED lighting and classic fairground-style lights, creating Instagram-mable moments and a vintage-meets-modern aesthetic
- Advanced LED Signage: Custom-engineered LED signage was integrated throughout the floors, ensuring the Urban Fun brand glowed with maximum vibrancy even in the venue's mood-lit gaming zones.
- Digital Signage Network: A strategic deployment of digital screens across all floors, providing Urban Fun with the flexibility to manage promotions and branded content in real-time
- Advanced AV Integration: Installation of a fully integrated sound system, zoned across floors for consistent audio, and the seamless integration of live sports (Sky & DAZN) throughout the venue
- Smart Content Management: Implementation of an advanced Content Management System, allowing the venue to sync visuals and audio perfectly to match the energy of the crowd.
The project also included the installation of external signage, which involved the fitting of protruding roof signs. This required the temporary closure of several main roads in London and the implementation of full traffic management measures.
The installation was carried out using HIAB vehicles and specialist access equipment. The primary external signage comprised individually illuminated letters mounted on a bespoke frame, designed to protrude from and curve around the canopy roof, creating strong visibility at street level.
Additional signage around the building consisted of stencil-cut illuminated sign trays, carefully designed to complement the architecture while reinforcing the brand identity.
By combining these innovative lighting features and traditional wayfinding with vibrant digital displays, Signs Now ensured that the transition from the bowling alleys to the private karaoke suites was seamless, immersive and visually stunning.
Our Verdict
Carlo Matarazzo, Project Manager at Signs Now, said: “This was a landmark project for us, not just because of the scale of the building, but because of the complexity of the integration. Urban Fun is all about energy and innovation, so the signage had to reflect that.
“We’re incredibly proud of how our team handled the installation. By combining traditional bold signage with a sophisticated digital CMS and zoned audio, we’ve helped create an environment that feels alive. Urban Fun is a perfect example of how Signs Now can deliver a total branding and signage solution for some of the most modern, large-scale venues in the country.”
Need our help?
Are you thinking about new signage? At Signs Now UK, we’re ready to help you transform your space with our expert signage solutions.
As a national family business serving customers from across every sector throughout the whole of the UK, Signs Now are specialists in the design and installation of custom-made interior and exterior signage. Whether you’re a small business or large corporate with multi-location signage needs, we ensure a seamless process, quick turnaround and exceptional results.
Contact us today to discuss how we can help your business stand out for all the right reasons. Call us on 0845 9000 409 or drop us a note through our contact form and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
