Ah, the British Open Darts – a tournament so old it was practically invented before darts players discovered the joys of polyester shirts. Born in 1975, just months after the Winmau World Masters, it quickly became a kind of festive tradition. Back then the BBC thought it was worth televising, until 1983. ITV gave it a bash in the mid-80s, Sky had a brief flirtation in the early 90s, and eventually it landed in the warm, slightly indifferent arms of Eurosport, where forgotten BDO tournaments went to die.
Originally the Open was a post-Christmas knees-up – nothing says seasonal cheer like lager, darts, and watching Eric Bristow squint at a board. In fact, the 1975 event, won by Welsh Legend Alan Evans (main image) was actually played in late 1974, because darts scheduling has always been about as organised as a pub lock-in. Eventually, the organisers dragged the whole thing out of the festive calendar and shoved it into September or October, presumably to stop clashing with such things as The Two Ronnies Christmas Special.
50 YEARS OF THE BRITISH OPEN: Check Out the full honour roll with dartsdatabase.co.uk
Fast forward to now: the 2025 edition is about to hit Bridlington Spa, a venue so synonymous with darts that it’s basically a tungsten retreat. From September 19 -22, about a thousand players and fans from across the world will descend on the English seaside town.
If you’ve never been to Bridlington, imagine Blackpool, but with fewer illuminations and more pensioners with fish and chips. The tournament has squatted at the Spa for 21 years, which probably makes the venue smell permanently of stale beer and ambition.
Tommy Thompson, the England Darts chairman, is calling this anniversary a unique milestone even though the dress code is a polyester shirt tucked into jeans. Still, he’s got a point – this is one of the longest-running darts tournaments in the world, which basically makes it the Ashes of tungsten chucking.
The roll of honour isn’t bad either. Legends like Eric Bristow, John Lowe, Dennis Priestley, Raymond van Barneveld, Michael van Gerwen, and Andy Fordham have all graced the oche here. In 2023, a 16-year-old called Luke Littler grabbed the title, just months shy of becoming the youngest player to reach the PDC World Championship final. Kids lifting silverware while veteran pros look on in despair – that seems to be the way darts is heading.
The program is stuffed fuller than a pub pie: men’s, women’s, youth (boys and girls), and even para-darts categories. Winners bag gold-category bragging rights and a ticket to the WDF World Championship at Lakeside, where darts dreams go to either sparkle or fizzle out under fluorescent lighting.
Friday kicks off with the England International Men’s Trial – basically darts speed dating – followed by the British Open Pairs. Saturday is all about the British Classic, plus the youth and para events, before Sunday wraps it up with the men’s and women’s titles and a live-streamed finale. Live-streamed, so your Nan can still watch her grandkids from the comfort of the sofa.
So yes, the British Open is still alive, still throwing, and still clinging to its heritage like a barfly to last orders. Fifty years in, it’s basically darts’ answer to Coronation Street – long-running, slightly chaotic, but somehow still watched religiously.
—–ENDS—–
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