New bowling alley leisure destination provides another boost to town centre’s fortunes

Billed as south west London’s first boutique bowling alley, ‘Strike’ offers visitors the chance to try their arm at tenpin bowling along with smart darts, an electric shuffleboard and the capital’s “first ever duckpin bowling lanes”.

As well as these sporting challenges, this new venue offers freshly prepared food with a focus on “unusual takes on diner-style classics, like the Raclette Burger, the Spiced and Candied Bacon Hotdog, or the Cajun Crayfish Mac and Cheese”.

It further promises that “in keeping with the venue’s location, Strike’s drinks offering is second to none, with the emphasis on inventive cocktails, tank-fresh lager and locally brewed craft ales.”

Founder and Wandsworth resident Paul Delfgou said: “Housed in a beautiful Grade II-listed building, inside Britain’s oldest brewery, Strike will look a far cry from your traditional bowling alley. Designed to be a warm and relaxed, yet vibrant space, it will welcome groups of all sizes and people of all ages. It will be the perfect spot to socialise and compete with your friends, family, or colleagues, and will be able to cater for birthday parties, work gatherings, and private hire events.”

The opening of this latest leisure attraction in the town centre comes hot on the heels of the arrival of entertainment mega-hub Gravity in the Southside shopping centre.

Gravity Southside offers visitors an all-electric indoor go-karting track and crazy golf course, along with high ropes climbing, darts, pool and basketball plus new restaurant outlets. It offers family focused entertainment during the day with live music and a high-end cocktail bar designed to attract a young adult crowd in the evenings and nights.

And in a further vote of confidence in the town centre’s economic outlook, Young’s Brewery will soon open its new headquarters as part of a redevelopment of the historic Grade II Listed Spread Eagle public house, which was awarded planning consent last year for the creation of a 21-bedroom boutique hotel on the pub’s upper floors.

Other landmark regeneration schemes that are contributing to the town centre’s continued vibrancy include the Wandsworth Business Village, the Ram Brewery site, Lyon House and The Filaments in Buckhold Road.

Work has also just finished on the redevelopment of two former council office blocks fronting Garrett Lane and Wandsworth High Street along with another formerly owned by South Thames College, providing 200 new homes, a brand new and improved public library, better teaching facilities at the college, new shops and a revamped town centre green space.

Fifty of these new homes are affordable and are being offered to Wandsworth residents on lower incomes to rent or buy at a discounted price.

Another key element of the scheme is making better public use of the Old Burial Ground in Garratt Lane, which is an important but previously underused town centre green space. New pedestrian links have been opened up providing a direct route into the high street, while a state-of-the-art library also forms part of this route, opening up onto a newly created public square, directly adjacent to the burial ground, offering seating and play space for younger children.

And the town centre’s long running tradition of beer brewing has been maintained with the relocation of Sambrooks Brewery to its new home on the former Ram Brewery site in Wandsworth High Street – ensuring its 500-year tradition of beer making continues well into the 21st Century.

Council Leader Ravi Govindia said: “I’m delighted to welcome this latest addition to the town centre. It’s another great reason for people to visit the town centre and spend time here enjoying themselves.

“The council is committed to creating the right conditions to encourage and generate new investment in the town centre.

“Taking all these investment schemes together, they represent one of the biggest urban renewal programmes in London with well over £1bn flowing into Wandsworth town centre. Hundreds of new jobs and homes are being created here alongside major improvements to the local environment.

“Boosting the town centre’s economic fortunes and making it a landmark destination for leisure and hospitality choices means more jobs for local people and better prospects for other local businesses.

“As the high street faces up to the challenges and opportunities of a post pandemic world, it’s vitally important that councils offer the right level of support to help high streets recover and grow.”