VIDEO: AFTER landing the honour of its very own edition of the world-famous MONOPOLY – the Warrington edition of the board game has been unveiled today.
A gigantic life-size replica of the MONOPOLY: Warrington Edition board will be rolled out at Walton Hall and Gardens today, Tuesday, to kick-off the game’s launch – the first place in Cheshire to have the honour after beating off competition from 19 other places.
All the famous multi-coloured MONOPOLY property squares like Mayfair and Park Lane from the classic MONOPOLY London original are represented by Warrington landmarks and organisations. The Warrington Foodbank is one of several charities to be honoured within the game along with Warrington Disability Partnership, St. Rocco’s Hospice and The Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Peace Centre.
“Warrington Foodbank is thrilled to be recognised and chosen to appear on the Warrington Monopoly Board,” said David McDonald, CEO of Warrington Foodbank. “The charity is well established in Warrington as a helpful community supporter dealing with families in need, distress, and crisis. We are able to help all families regardless of income who find themselves in a period of hardship.”
The brand new MONOPOLY: Warrington Edition game landmarks and features include:
•FOODBANK NEXT DOOR TO ‘OLD KENT ROAD’: Next door to ‘Old Kent Road’ (the board’s most affordable square) on a Community Chest space will be Warrington Foodbank, one of several charities to be included and celebrated within the game. At the other end of the board The Golden Gates will be unveiled as the ‘Mayfair of Warrington’.
•FIDDLERS FERRY BECOMES WARRINGTON’S ELECTRIC COMPANY: The famous ‘Electric Company’ square is represented by Fiddlers Ferry Power Station. It forms one half of a Utility Set, with Lymm Dam featured on the Water Works square.
•30+ LANDMARKS ‘PASS GO’!: Other Warrington landmarks featuring include: The Transporter Bridge, Warrington Wolves, Walton Hall and Gardens, the Warrington Museum & Art Gallery, Victoria Park and The Pink Eye (on a pink square – of course!).
“We have been wonderfully spoilt for choice putting this unique game together,” says Jennifer Lau, Custom Games Executive at Winning Moves UK. “It’s a board celebrating Warrington’s past and present and is very much reflective of the times.”
The Mayor of Warrington, Cllr Jean Flaherty, said: “It’s exciting to see what has been included on the Warrington edition of this iconic game. David and the team at Warrington Foodbank do a fantastic job supporting people across the borough to access the food and help they need. They provide a vital service, helping families in need during challenging times. They are very well thought of in our community, so it’s a great honour to see them take up a square on the board. I look forward to seeing which other landmarks and organisations will be joining them!”.
The Chance and Community Chest cards are themed too. One sends players ‘Back 3 Spaces’ for getting stuck in traffic on the Thelwall Viaduct. Whilst another rewards players for their best nostalgic photo taken of the iconic – and now former nightclub – Mr Smith’s, which was a magnet for youngsters across Lancashire and Cheshire to flock to Warrington.
The money is customised as well. It includes motifs of The Golden Gates and the Transporter Bridge – a nod to Warrington’s rich heritage. “This game without these two heavily represented, would be like MONOPOLY without the dice” adds Ms Lau.
Over the last 25 years Winning Moves UK and Hasbro has produced the official version of MONOPOLY in places all over the world from Sydney to Dubai .. and now Warrington. The MONOPOLY: Warrington Edition game hits the shops today, Tuesday 25th October and will be available at Waterstones, WH Smith and extensively online, including on Amazon and Booghe.
MONOPOLY first hit shelves in 1935 with the Racecar, Thimble, Boot, Top Hat, and Battleship among the original set of MONOPOLY tokens while the Scottie Dog and Wheelbarrow were added in the early 1950s. Although the brand has evolved over the past 87 years, the gameplay and iconography of the classic MONOPOLY game has remained unchanged, making it a timeless classic sure to be enjoyed by future generations. Today, MONOPOLY is the world’s favourite family game brand and is enjoyed by more than one billion players in 114 countries across the globe.
Proud winner of the first edition to run off the production line was former Fleet Street journalist Gary Slater, who won a competition to describe Warrington in just 25 words – see Gary recite his 25 words below.
1 Comment
Fab!! Where will you be able to buy them?