This week sees Tunbridge Wells join the likes of London, Paris and New York in having its streets and landmarks forever immortalised. And it’s all thanks to arguably the world’s most famous board game – Monopoly.
Featuring town roads and local businesses, the Tunbridge Wells edition will be unveiled in a ceremony on The Pantiles tomorrow (Thursday, October 26).
The Town Crier will join Mayor Julia Soyke for the red-carpet launch.
The game owners Winning Moves has not disclosed which streets and brands will be represented, but keep an eye out for your favourite local newspaper the Times and sister publication SO Magazine.
Monopoly players are presented with money and offered the chance to buy property and hotels on streets with the aim of charging and eventually bankrupting competitors.
The London version has become a favourite since being launched in 1935, with Old Kent Road (the cheapest address on the board) and Mayfair (the most expensive) holding infamous titles.
Some 2,000 people took part in a vote to help determine what places and products would go into the local edition
Robert Osborne, custom games manager at Winning Moves, said: “The board is a love letter to Royal Tunbridge Wells and we would like to thank everyone who has voted for the landmarks that appear and star on it.
“The town has been described as one of the world’s poshest places and we shall, tongue firmly in cheek, be paying a nod to this at the launch.
“We happily had lots and lots of Tunbridge Wells equivalents for the top ranked locations Mayfair and Park Lane filling our top hats.”
Former mayor David Neve will attend the opening wearing a London A-Z decorated outfit and said: “There is a definite chance it will be a great success.”
Since Winning Moves took over ownership rights from Hasbro in the 1990s, many more localised editions of the game have sprung up – including a version for Oxford and Liverpool.
This year has also seen new board figures added to the game with a T Rex and Penguin joining the classic battleship, top hat and Scottie dog.
The £30 game will go on sale next Thursday at stores across Tunbridge Wells.
