Conscious of modern attitudes to contractual arrangements we granted our World Matchplay writer some time off during the recent staging. Typically, for a Darts World team member, he headed straight off to find a decent board and venue. How did he get on?
I enjoyed a rare day off from the Winter Gardens press room and, determined to take a complete break from all things work-related, I headed off to a newly recommended sports bar. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made since I learned to throw first on the bull.
The venue in question is called Ballers, located on Bethesda Road, and open since April. A rough ten-minute walk from the Winter Gardens – or fifteen to get back after you’ve sampled the drinks menu.
As soon as I walked in, I was greeted by what appeared to be about 500 brand-new pool tables. Turns out it was only twelve – but it had that impressive feel. I made a beeline for the rather smart-looking bar and was delighted to find a wide array of ciders. Being officially “off-duty,” I went for something sweet, crisp, and apple-based. It was so good I had another. And, let’s be honest, probably another.
Early on, I bumped into the owner, Kevin, who features in a little chat now up on our social media. A bit later, I ventured into the back room – the darts zone – cleverly named Mission Control. Kevin hasn’t got round to putting the sign up, so I made him hold it above the doorway while I took my time with the photo. Journalism, obviously.
Inside Mission Control, I was seriously impressed: eight pristine boards, scoreboards included, plus a bonus pool table that’s free for darts players – or those merely pretending. I had a go at that too, and fared slightly better with the cue than the tungsten.
Screens everywhere, darts on all of them, and a perfect mix of action and atmosphere. By 9pm it was nicely full – not penguin-packed pub chaos where you can barely move and have to keep your arms tucked into your body – but a proper social hum. I ended up in a few games with a group of lads – two Steves and a Brian. Beat tall Steve, got thrashed by bald Steve.
By midnight, the bar staff were doing the rounds asking if anyone fancied one last drink. They did ask, after all – it’d be rude to say no.
During the week I also popped into Walkabout. A very different vibe. As a former doorman, I couldn’t help but scope out the space. I noticed a brand-new dartboard lit up like Blackpool Tower. Nobody was using it, so I casually unpacked my darts and got throwing.
About half an hour in, a bouncer lumbered over, silently pulled my darts from the board, and started to walk off. Not exactly the warm welcome I’d received earlier. I pointed out, quite reasonably, that those darts were my property and not something he could just confiscate like chewing gum at a school disco.
Apparently, the issue was that darts – in his expert opinion – were deadly weapons. This while I sipped from a pint glass, presumably a far less lethal object in his eyes. I asked why, if throwing was banned, they had spent money setting up a lovely lit-up board in a designated area. His response? He turned the board light off. That cleared that up then.
I required more than a lack of illumination as a reason, so I pressed him further. Eventually, he explained – with the confidence of a man inventing policy mid-sentence – that darts weren’t allowed because it was a nightclub. I suggested, only half-joking, that perhaps after a certain hour people start launching tungsten like javelins across the dancefloor. He didn’t laugh. Shame, really – I was quite pleased with that one. I then, with maximum diplomacy, offered him a far less confrontational approach for future situations: a simple, “Sorry sir, darts aren’t allowed at this time – we should’ve switched the board off.” Polite. Clear. Non-theatrical. Almost too easy.
Following that was a typical routine. Grunt. Exit stage left. Back to blocking the entrance with a menacing scowl. So, in conclusion: for proper darts, great drinks, and a welcoming atmosphere – go to Ballers. If you prefer poorly handled power trips and attempted arrow theft – Walkabout’s waiting for you.
—–ENDS—–
Images: Darts World / Paul Woodage
