Welcome, I too am from Kent and arcades down this way aren’t great, can recommend Four Quarters in Stratford and Peckham, Heart of Gaming in Croydon is worth a visit if you like newer stuff...
The seafronts aren’t what they were but the community here is keeping the arcades aliveSinisteve2018-08-31 10:13:42
Depends what you're after really. If you want a decent condition, classic, dedicated machine then yes most will go for £1,000 or more.
If you just want a JAMMA cabinet so you can play lots of different games in it then you should pick one up for anything between about £150-£300 on here.