Curling: the game that turned ‘sweeping the house’ into a legitimate Olympic sport.
If you rate yourself as a bit of a undercover curling maestro or have been eagerly waiting for an opportunity to try it out ever since the last Winter Olympics, then we have two pieces of great news for you: 1) Club Curling is returning to Coal Drops Yard for the winter and 2) this time it’s going to be particularly dazzling, thanks to a neon-soaked makeover by God’s Own Junkyard.
Club Curling has a total of six lanes where you and up to five mates can mimic those athletes you see on the telly for two weeks every four years. The aim of the game, in the most basic of terms, is to try and guide a weighty granite stone as close as you can towards a target (known as the house). Not actually being the Winter Olympics, of course, Club Curling’s simplified the game a little to make it more amateur-friendly: the lanes are lined with fake ice (so there’s no need to actually sweep), but the stones have been fitted with tiny little wheels so that they still skid along. There’s elements of darts, shuffleboard, bowling and even chess involved (it’s often referred to as ‘chess on ice’ due to its strategic side) so if you’re alright at any of those, you’ll be absolutely fine here.
Although curling has always been subjected to a degree of ridicule, it’s taxing stuff, so when your 45 minute session wraps up you’ll probably be in need of a drink. This situation is known as ‘broomstacking’; a tradition that consists of going for a few friendly post-game drinks where the loser has to pay – and this year, Club Curling’s pop up bar will be decked out with dazzling neon signs from the retina-blasting Walthamstow warehouse that is God’s Own Junkyard. That makes Club Curling a strong choice not just for groups, but romantic winter dates too…
You’ll sweep them off their feet.
NOTE: Club Curling at Coal Drops Yard runs from 8th November 2024 until 2nd March 2025, every day from 12-9pm. It’s £9pp (free for under 12s with an adult), with a portion going to local charities. You can book ahead on the Club Curling website.
Club Curling | Coal Drops Yard, London N1C 4DQ
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