Animated town is suspended

Merchant Design International’s creative work on interactive family entertainment centre Toon Town is up for grabs as operator Time Warner Interactive has suspended the project .

The first 1490m2 site was due to open in Acton in December after two years of development. Other sites were scheduled for development in 1996.

“The concept was breaking new ground as a family-oriented event,” says consultancy managing director Paul Jones. It included themed party rooms, a themed simulator and an adult’s refreshment mezzanine area. This was to be Merchant Design International’s seventh design project for TWI.

“The design work is up for grabs,” Jones says. “We have had a very good level of interest within and outside the UK” from potential operators, adds Jones. He expects to be able to make a positive announcement in the next two weeks.