Few people know about the Brighthelm Diamond, a jewel of epic value. It was purchased by four of Brighton’s most influential developers and has been hidden, for if ever the city was in dire need. But now, Brighton is in danger of losing it, as its whereabouts have been revealed to the worst kind of people. It is only a matter of time before it is stolen and auctioned off. You must break into the jeweller where it is hidden and save the treasure for the sake of the city. Can you and your team pull off this heroic heist to save a part of Brighton heritage?
 60 Minutes
 4-9 Players
20% Escape Rate
 £26 per player
 Brighton, East Sussex, England
 No dedicated Parking, Pay & Display available
 https://www.pierpressure.co.uk
 Pete, Nate, Andy, Molly
 September 2020
 Escaped – 53.04
Immersion
Pete
Nate
Andy
Molly
With the title of “Britains Best Rated Escape Room,” it is fair to say we were definitely expecting big things from Brighton’s Pier Pressure. Arriving at their shop, we found ourselves in a neat and tidy store and were greeted by Philly who got us settled and explained a little about the room and the fact that it was physically located in the basement of a cafe a short walk away. Ordinarily, our games master would enter the room with us at the beginning of the game to set the scene in person, but due to COVID19 restrictions it was explained that this would have to be done via a pre-recorded video instead. The video was well executed and introduced us to the very quirky Queenie, the local detective who was trying to prevent thieves from stealing the Brighthelm Diamond.
At this point our games master collected us from the shop and escorted us to the game location, maintaining character from the one unit to the other. She then outlined the scenario and rules before locking us in.Â
This room, looks incredible… In the basement of a pancake shop, these guys have built a full cobbled street complete with six totally distinct shop fronts, each offering different products or services. Every one is meticulously executed and realistically finished with stock, window displays and branding. The restaurants feature menus in their windows and net curtains. Inside the shops, the decor is varied so you definitely get the sense you are walking between different environments, but each one is as well designed as the last. Even the clue system within the room is considered, with a large red phone booth being the means of communicating with Queenie for hints. Hands down, this room offers a level of immersion that we have never seen in the UK before.Â
Puzzles & Challenges
Pete
Nate
Andy
Molly
The scale of loot the lanes is impressive and given the variety of environments within the room, its no surprise that there are an equally diverse array of challenges to satisfy even the most experienced escape room fans. Your task is to locate the four hidden plaques of Brighton in order to locate the diamond and protect it from a gang of thieves. Naturally, on a cobbled street at night time, your first challenge is to secure access to the shops which are closed. Entering the first one will test your observational skills but is relatively easy to overcome. Once inside, however, it becomes a little more difficult. You’ll need to scour the room pretty thoroughly to find the clues you need to progress and this leads to a challenge which, to date, we have only seen in one other room. This leads to a series of lock and code puzzles which will provide you with new hints and clues you’ll need to put aside for later.Â
Blagging your way into the second shop requires quite a different approach to what we are used to, and was well exectued. From this point on you’ll need to be pretty versatile in the room, every location was as important as the next and you’ll be running from shop to shop and back into the street to progress further.  This was great fun and things you have uncovered before slowly start to make more sense with solutions falling into place. Ultimately, as the scenario suggests, you’ll need to suss out how to get into the Jewellery shop and secure the diamond and plaques which will test your ability to communicate effectively as a team, taking on a series of tasks which will need you all to work together. It became clear why we needed four people at this point. Solving these last elements will lead to the solution of the game and Queenie’s gratitude!
What we really appreciated about this room and its challenges, was the mix of games that we could take on as individuals, and those that required us to really work together. There were definitely moments where we are sure the games master was probably laughing at us as we made complete fools of ourselves doing something barking mad that seemed to be the right solution at the time. On going into the room, we were told that the average team requires about 9 clues to complete this room. We can definitely see why this is the case. You’ll need to be at your observational best to get out of here. Totally original and entirely in keeping with the overall theme.Â
Games Master
Pete
Nate
Andy
Molly
Our games master for loot the lanes was Emma, who we have to say was very dedicated to the cause. She maintained character throughout the whole experience of the game. For the entirety of the walk between Pier Pressures two locations, she kept on a really convincing act. We particularly liked when she had to ask two customers in the pancake shop to step aside so we could get past, in character. Her act was equally unbroken when Molly tripped on the stairs. In fact, Emma only revealed her true self to us when we had completed the room!
Going into this room, we were asked whether we wanted clues to be handed out freely, or whether we would like to ask for them when we needed them instead. We opted to ask for clues, which we did three times. Clues were secured by using the red telephone box in the room to dial the game master. In all three instances, we were nudged in the right direction instead of being told the solution outright. Each clue was delivered in character, but also through a speakerphone system. This was a nice touch, as often with hint delivery you are forced to rely on one player conveying a message which can easily be lost in translation. Not an issue in this room.Â
Value for Money
Pete
Nate
Andy
Molly
Given the quality of the experience here, we were happy to part with £26 per person. One thing to be aware of is the cost of parking in central Brighton which might add to your overall cost. We found that London Road multistorey nearby offered all day parking for £10. Playing one of the games at Pier Pressure also unlocks discounts in the Windmill bar, just across the road, which we were very happy to make use of.Â
Enjoyment
Pete
Nate
Andy
Molly
The four of us had an amazing time in this game. In fact, we were pretty sad when we escaped because we would have happily played for a lot longer. The forced interaction between every team member ensured we were all involved at various points in the room, whilst still providing plenty of opportunity for us to break away and do our own clue hunting. At no point was anyone in the team standing around with nothing to do. We had to keep each other informed and involved to get to the next stage. On completing the room, we had used three clues and escaped with seven minutes left on the clock. We were all in agreement, that was a fun hour!
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