Did you know that pub games date back centuries, in actual fact, skittles are believed to have originated from the Middle Ages! A pub with a dart board and booze may not be the best combination, it most certainly brings out people’s competitive streak. So when my editor, Natasha invited me to attend the launch of Roxy Ball Room, I was counting down the days. I was most definitely in my element, right in the heart of the Captial (right opposite The Gherkin) on St Mary’s Axe, for an entire night of good food, drinks, great company and unlimited games.
Now, Roxy Ball Room is like the games we know, but a bit more technically advanced, the games on offer that they had include; Tech Shuffleboard, Ping Pong, American Pool, Crazy Pool, Ice-free Curling, Tech Darts and Karaoke, Beer Pong and Duck Pin Bowling and virtual shooting. The tech side is that the games run on AI, and so it kept the score for you and gave you onscreen instructions and helped you with who was next in line. So there’s no cheating with AI. The crazy golf was my favourite, it was literally pool cues with an obstacle on a pool table and you had to put the golf ball. When you potted your ball, it lit up and celebrated your score.
The tech darts were also a lot of fun, and with the AI keeping score, it made it a lot more enjoyable not having to keep score, I mean, back in my day we had to stand and do a maths test and write our score on a chalk board after each round of darts were thrown.
It was a fun evening and looking round the room and seeing everyone having fun also made the atmosphere of this place an electric one. The venue has two floors, the first floor felt more like a chilled bar setting, one end was by a bar with a variety of cocktails, mocktails, beers, wine and soft drinks. My plus one was sipping on a drink she had her eye on before we even got to the venue. It was the Wham Cocktail, it was instant playful nostalgia for her, it’s made with Jack Daniel’s Whiskey, Luxardo Amaretto, lemon, cherry puree, Vimto and garnished with a Wham bar. Yes, I was very jealous and on the Diet Pepsi, which was on tap! The other end of the first floor had a photobooth room! Darts and some arcade games like Basketball. As you made your way down to the 2nd floor it stretched out and had games galore, until the eye could see.
Roxy Ball Room have made quite the entrance; it really is a fantastic night out. The team were all so very hospitable, encouraging, and very engaging. I liked how, If I didn’t quite understand the rules of a game, they were there to explain them and were incredibly enthusiastic (and patient). And obviously technology sometimes has its glitches, and when we experienced one on shuffleboard, the team were at hand to reset a game for us.
It’s a great concept, competitive socialising and my plus one is still my friend today, despite beating me at Crazy Golf!
Roxy Ball Room London St Mary Axe
Roxy Ball Room
