The timing could hardly have been any better for the opening of a new attraction from Kent’s biggest escape room artists.

Alex and Monique Souter’s Panic Room business has thrived since it opened in Gravesend’s Old Town Hall in January, relocating to nearby Berkeley Crescent with the space to run six of the testing rooms at once.

Rooms five and six are still a few weeks away, but the fourth has opened its doors.

Dubbing it The Dollhouse, the couple are promising to serve up plenty of scares for those looking for an ideal outing with friends and family as the Halloween season approaches.

Alex explained: “The setup is that you have been kidnapped by a serial killer with an obsession with dolls and we start you off locked up in a cell and handcuffed inside. You have an hour to escape his house before he comes back.

“There’s another victim called Danny who is watching you on CCTV and we’ve had the voice recorded so that players can interact with him. It’s our largest room to date and it’s got loads of twists and turns and a story.”

“Everybody has been absolutely loving it and a lot of people have been saying it’s our best room yet, which is great to hear because we want to keep upping our game each and every time" Alex Souter

Although it certainly plays well with those looking for a Halloween night out, The Dollhouse will be a permanent fixture at The Panic Room.

The feedback has certainly been positive and slots are being booked up at a faster rate than ever.

Alex continued: “The response has been absolutely fantastic.

“Everybody has been absolutely loving it and a lot of people have been saying it’s our best room yet, which is great to hear because we want to keep upping our game each and every time.

“It’s the biggest production and biggest budget to date – it’s 50% more expensive than previous rooms.

“The pass rate so far is only 10% and people have liked that it’s felt like a real challenge without being unfair.

“Halloween has been sold out for absolutely ages and at the moment the next four or five weekends are almost completely sold out.”

The Panic Room is still ranked as one of the county’s best attractions by reviewers on both Facebook and TripAdvisor, and rooms five and six should attract even more visitors.

November 11 sees the opening of a new take on the original Panic Room, which is what launched the business originally, and the Gilman Hotel opens on December 3.

“The Gilman Hotel is an old-school detective thriller. We think it’s very cool and will have lots of story and lore to it,” said Alex. “We are going to go all out on the theming and decoration.”