A much-loved visitor attraction has been saved as they move to a new location at a pub and zoo.

Escape Plan LIVE made a plea earlier this year to encourage more people to support small businesses hit hard by the pandemic as they feared having to close down completely.

But despite time running out at their location in Chatham and being forced to leave, the company is now planning to open a new experience which will be their "most ambitious game yet" at Fenn Bell Inn and zoo in Hoo.

Co-owner Ross Friday said they are building an escape room within a double-decker bus at the site with the hopes of opening in May.

Although looking forward to their next venture, he added: "It is still a backwards step for us. We started with two games and grew to have three venues with multiple different games.

"It is going back to where we started. I am happy that we were able to build it up to where we did.

"We have got to shut the business while trying to start a new one.

"We feel sad to see our customers sad. We feel responsible, we want to give them a new adventure as well."

Ross said despite having a manic half-term with business booming it was not enough for them to carry on at Sun Pier House, Chatham.

He added: "One busy week does not make up for the last 18 months but means we can go out with a bang. We had a nice busy week.

"It is heart-breaking. We are going to leave and knock it all down, that will be a horrible couple of days.

"We have had bad things happen before and it has got better. Bad news like this, it comes off the back of two years of bad news."

Ross, who runs the attraction with his wife Sandra, told they were due to renew the lease in March but needed trade to pick up before then so they could stay - which has not happened.

They had already had to cut back staff and ran the business with just the help of an intern.

He said: "It is not like it used to be when we first started. There is so much competition. It is time consuming and expensive to make the games."

The duo started their company seven years ago and built all the escape rooms themselves with the help of family to bring their visions to life.

But due to the changing face of the industry and having to close for the majority of the pandemic, things have not been smooth-sailing.

Ross said overall bookings are down 80% compared to pre-pandemic and those they do get are for a lot less people so, with visitors paying per person, this means a lot less income.

They are currently taking bookings for their last day on February 27.

The attraction which was was previously based at Fort Amherst in Chatham, offers a number of different escape experiences - The Seance, What the Dickens, The Witching Hour, The Clink, Air Raid and Classified. You have an hour to escape the room by finding clues and solving puzzles.

If you would like to find out more about the experiences and to book, click here or search for EscapePlanLive on Facebook.