I did successfully retrieve two Rock-Ola Star Castle cabinets from this place before the deal went south. In later years i did own the Carnival too 
My memory was that we were simply outbid on the deal, personally i couldn't see how they could make any money from it with their offer, but you never know what was bluff. The other problem with the place was that we were bidding just for the videogames, they had a large number of fruit machines and pool tables and those were something we were not bidding on. I think AW bid for the whole lot which probably swung it for them.
And i'm pretty sure we were far from Essex, it was in Suffolk or Norfolk i think.
My memory was that we were simply outbid on the deal, personally i couldn't see how they could make any money from it with their offer, but you never know what was bluff. The other problem with the place was that we were bidding just for the videogames, they had a large number of fruit machines and pool tables and those were something we were not bidding on. I think AW bid for the whole lot which probably swung it for them.
And i'm pretty sure we were far from Essex, it was in Suffolk or Norfolk i think.