decline of Dart boards in pubs

steeljack · 09-03-2007, 02:57

kind of related to another thread about 'vaults and taprooms' in pubs.
just came across this story http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...9/ndarts09.xml

It says more and more Pubs are removing dart boards and replacing the area with food /dining areas , the story is from the Daily Telegraph (obvious southern bias) just curious is a similar thing happening in pubs around Hyndburn ? seems when I was younger every pub had at least one team and many had a ladies team as well .
Seems to me , when I was a youngster and had a game of darts in any pub even the dumbest dimwit opponent was better at scoring than me , counting down from 501 and figuring out the next throw.

note to mods , I posted in general , maybe it should be in nostalgia or nightlife, thanks

chav1 · 09-03-2007, 03:02

more money in food i suppose

to be honest darts and beer is not a good idea especialy in my case

jambutty · 09-03-2007, 15:01

On a scale of one to ten my dart-throwing prowess would be at around 5 or maybe 6 on a good (lucky) day but I enjoyed the challenge. Playing darts also exercised the grey matter, which it would seem is beyond the modern youth.

Many pubs in days gone by had a mechanical machine where you dialled in your score and it automatically showed the new total to get. But it didn’t tell you the quickest way to get there. You had to do that in your head. Again way beyond most teenagers.

But times change and so do fashions so I guess that in the mad rush to grab more and more money darts had to go.

Pity really because a dartboard in a pub was quintessentially British. As was playing Crib, Dominoes and Shove Ha’penny. I wonder if it still applies today but playing crib was the only game that was allowed to be played for money in a pub.

Lolly · 09-03-2007, 15:11

We still have one where I work. And it is used on a very regular basis.

cashman · 09-03-2007, 15:20

thought i was a fair darter in me day, till i taught me mate n he went on to play for lancs lol,was always in a pub team though,theres not many darting pubs now steeljack,sadly, also cribbage has bit the dust i think,we had a good landlord jambutty cos we could play Poker,Brag etc for money,but only in the vault.though illegal the vault was L - shaped and we could play in the top corner,so the cash would have vanished by the time the coppers had walked round.

when things decline or pass their sell-by date, its not always for the best,i think.

shillelagh · 09-03-2007, 19:32

There still is one in the Rising Bridge but hardly anyone uses it now. I think ive seen it used once in the last 6 months and that was me and my family one night when we'd been in. We've been lucky though it was nearly shut down and turned into a wine bar and restaurant - the pool table being took out but now theyre looking for someone to take it over. With any luck they'll find some one again.