CHERYL Cole has been wearing fashion from the era, Arctic Roll has been flying off the shelves in supermarkets and in cinemas Eighties classics like the A-Team and the Karate Kid have been spectacularly rebooted.

But now it seems the decade of big hair, shoulder pads, leg warmers and Rubik’s cubes is about to cross over to leisure pursuits in south Essex.

Roller City – a favourite haunt of generations past – is about to make a comeback in Southend, and plans have also now been announced to open up a laser quasar venue in Basildon.

Could this mean children of today will be ditching their computers in favour of some good old-fashioned fun?

Businessman Clive Meech certainly hopes so. The 42-year-old is eager to get the good time rolling again by creating a vibrant roller skating rink on the Purdeys Industrial Estate in Sutton Road, Rochford.

Mr Meech is eager to see a return to the disco beats of the Eighties, which were once a common sight at the Roller City rink, on Pier Hill, Southend.

Roller City, was “the” family hotspot in Southend for many years before the skating venue moved to Aviation Way, Rochford.

Although it closed in the late Nineties, rollerskating is now very much back in vogue.

Work to transform an empty industrial unit into the new Roller City is set to start in two weeks time, and the rink should be open to the public by November.

Mr Meech said: “I know how much people thought of Roller City. We are really hoping it will be a success.

“After visiting a roller skating rink in Colchester with my family, I realised people do want this kind of venue again.

“That’s when I thought of bringing it back to Southend."

The 7,000 sq ft venue will boast a maple wood floor with a hexagon-style skating rink.

Skaters will be able to cruise around the rink while music blares out from a state-of-the-art sound system. Mr Meech has also ploughed money into getting the lighting just right.

The re-fit alone will cost £250,000 with hundreds of thousands more being put into getting the business off the ground.

The venue will be be open seven days a week and will also have a cafe serving food and drinks – but no alcohol – skate hire and party services.

Mr Meech said the rink may be powered by Eighties nostalgia, but it will also have some very modern twists.

He said: “We will have Eighties disco nights and nostalgia evenings for over-18s etc but it will be a modern venue as well in terms of the light and sound technology.

“Skaters will even be able to use Facebook on their phones to message the DJ while they are at the rink.”

The revival of roller skating has not surprised him. He added: “It seems to be equally as popular as was 20 years ago.

“Roller City was such a popular location for teenagers and the good thing about this is that now those teenagers have grown up and had kids themselves.

“Now they can come back as a family and experience that fun again.

“I’ve been astonished by the number of people who have got in touch to ask for jobs – some saying they’ll work for free because they enjoyed working at the original Roller City so much.

“I’ve even had people track down my address and put notes through my door.”

In Basildon, a warehouse is set to be transformed into an army- themed laser warfare game centre – another pursuit which found its niche in the Eighties.

Children’s entertainment company Partyman World is converting the warehouse in Repton Close, Basildon, into the £750,000 Laser Kombat centre, which is due to open on August 1, suitable for those aged six upwards.

Aaron Othman, executive company director, said: “I think activities like laser warfare and roller skating are making a comeback because things have changed.

“Parents can’t afford to take their kids on holiday as much now, so they want fun, affordable activities to do at home.

“I think it is important for children to have a break from tapping away on their computers.

“Hopefully a new generation of youngsters will discover nothing beats running around having fun with your mates for an hour.”