A new £500,000 Laser Quest is set to open at The Trafford Centre in Manchester in mid-July.

The 500sq m “laser tag” game venue is the first to be opened by new company, Blue Maze and has the capacity for up to thirty people to play at a time – with multiple game formats available – and uses maze sections, custom-built scenery, lighting effects, swirling fog and an infra-red laser matrix.

Laser Quest, designed by Barry Marshall, will also boast a 3.5m climbing wall called The Rock – which rotates to make an endless climb as well as tilting to make it harder to scale – and a themed party zone with views into the Laser Quest arena.

Managing director and co-founder of Blue Maze, Graham Starling, said: “We earmarked the The Trafford Centre to open this state-of-the-art Laser Quest and Rock attraction as we are positioned in one of the most prestigious dining and leisure destinations in the UK, so we’re confident it will be a phenomenal success.”

Blue Maze plans to begin looking for a second Laser Quest site within six to nine months – most likely in the north-east or Midlands – and aims to roll out various Family Entertainment Centres over the next 10-20 years.

Co-founder Rupert Mosley said: “We are very focused on creating exciting leisure and entertainment facilities aimed particularly at children aged between six and 15. We know there is a tremendous market for that age group.”

There are currently over 100 laser tag game venues in the UK, and around 35 Laser Quest venues.