Competitive socialising, activity bars, entertainment, and leisure venues in Manchester

A look at places to play a range of competitive socialising games and activities in Manchester city centre.

While minigolf is the main game we play, we're big fans of a range of what are now termed 'competitive socialising' activities. And luckily for us Manchester city centre has a variety of different places to play.

The landscape of competitive socialising venues is constantly changing, with locations opening and closing, while others expand or change the activities available.

Below is a list of places to play a range of different games in Manchester city centre as at April 2025.

Minigolf, Crazy Golf, Adventure Golf:

• Junkyard Golf, First Street
• King Pins, Arndale Centre
• Putters Tech-Infused Mini Golf at Urban Playground, Arndale Centre
• Roxy Golf at Roxy Ball Room, Deansgate
• Treetop Adventure Golf, The Printworks

Crazy Pool:

• Roxy Ball Room, Arndale Centre

Arcade Games:

• King Pins, Arndale Centre
• NQ64, Peter Street
• NQ64, Northern Quarter
• Pixel Bar Manchester, Thomas Street

Axe Throwing:

• Boom Battle Bar, The Printworks

Baseball:

• Base Bar, Millow Street

Beer Pong / Prosecco Pong:

• Boom Battle Bar, The Printworks
• Lane7, Deansgate
• Roxy Ball Room, Deansgate

Cricket / Batting Cages:

• King Pins, Arndale Centre
• Sixes Social Cricket, Corn Exchange

Escape Rooms:

• Breakout Manchester, Church Street
• Breakout Manchester, Newton Street
• Escape Hunt Manchester, Corn Exchange
• Lucardo Escape Rooms, Great Ancoats Street

'Game Shows':

• Challenge Point, Newton Street
• The Crystal Maze, Lower Byrom Street
• The Cube at Urban Playground, Arndale Centre

Golf / Virtual Golf:

• Pitch Golf (opening 2025)

Ice Free Curling:

• Boom Battle Bar, The Printworks
• King Pins, Arndale Centre
• Roxy Ball Room, Deansgate

Interactive / Tech / AR Darts:

• Black Cat Club, Brown Street
• Boom Battle Bar, The Printworks
• Flight Club, King Street
• King Pins, Arndale Centre
• Roxy Ball Room, Arndale Centre
• Twenty Twenty Two, Little Lever Street
• The Gas Works Brewbar, Jack Rosenthal Street

Ping Pong / Table Tennis:

• Pong & Puck, Deansgate
• Roxy Ball Room, Arndale Centre
• Roxy Ball Room, Deansgate
• The Brotherhood Of Pursuits And Pastimes, Mount Street
• Twenty Twenty Two, Little Lever Street

Shooting Galleries:

• King Pins, Arndale Centre
• Point Bank, Deansgate

Shuffleboard:

• 7Sins, Northern Quarter
• Black Cat Club, Brown Street
• Boom Battle Bar, The Printworks
• Electric Shuffle, Deansgate
• King Pins, Arndale Centre
• Pong & Puck, Deansgate
• Roxy Ball Room, Arndale Centre
• Roxy Ball Room, Deansgate
• The Bierkeller Manchester, The Printworks
• The Gas Works Brewbar, Jack Rosenthal Street

Ten Pin Bowling / Duck Pin Bowling:

• King Pins, Arndale Centre
• Lane7, Deansgate
• Roxy Ball Room, Arndale Centre
• Tenpin, The Printworks

Virtual Reality (VR) / Gaming:

• DNA VR Manchester, Brown Street
• Immersive Gamebox, Arndale Centre

All-round venues:

These places offer a range of different games and activities, these are also listed above in the specific activities.

• Boom Battle Bar, The Printworks
• King Pins, Arndale Centre
• Roxy Ball Room, Arndale Centre
• Roxy Ball Room, Deansgate
• Trax Social, The Printworks
• Urban Playground, Arndale Centre

Have we missed any places to play in Manchester city centre?

What's your favourite game and place to play?

Do let us know in the comments.

Mini Golf at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC (2013)

Noting a Mini Golf course at the National Building Museum back in 2013.

As big fans of minigolf, and curators of the Crazy Golf Museum, it's always interesting seeing minigolf/museum crossovers.

The National Building Museum in Washington, DC, USA had a Mini Golf course exhibition between May and September 2013.

The Mini Golf exhibition featured two 9-hole indoor courses with holes and obstacles designed and built by leading Washington-area architects, landscape architects, and contractors.

The KitKat x Blockbuster pop-up video shop in Soho, London

KitKat has created a 'Blockbuster Video' pop-up shop in Soho, London to launch its new sharing chocolate bars.

The KitKat x Blockbuster pop-up video shop is part of a nostalgia inspired campaign to launch KitKat's new sharing bars.

The chocolate/video shop can be found on Greek Street in Soho, London until tomorrow, Saturday 12th April. It opened on Wednesday 9th April.

Check out the Nestlé website for more information about the KitKat x Blockbuster pop-up.

Unfortunately I couldn't make it down to London to visit the store. However, my friend Gareth Holmes went along today! Gareth joined the queue and sent me these photos from his visit to the Blockbuster store!

Browse the VHS tapes on the shelves

Have a break from browsing

Browse some more

A nice selection of old tellies

Visitors to the pop-up received a free KitKat sharing bar and a code to stream a film

Nostalgia and lost brands

Emily and I have spent the last few years reminiscing about 'the good old days'. One of our areas of interest is in old retail brands - we're both marketers by profession and two of my first jobs in the 1990's and the year 2000 were at Tandy and Toys R Us, while Emily's first job was at a Happy Shopper shop. It's been fascinating to find remnants of these brands - and a number of other lost, dead and defunct brands - on the high street and at retail parks around the UK.

During the pandemic our interest in lost brands and retail history was piqued and over the last five years we've been to several former Blockbuster Video stores around the UK, as well as finding some other old, and some still open, video shops on our travels.

At its peak in 2004 there were more than 9,000 Blockbuster Video stores around the world. 500+ of which were in England, Scotland and Wales. Interestingly in Northern Ireland the Xtra-Vision brand was used by the owners in-line with the Republic of Ireland.

The last Blockbuster Video shop ceased trading in the UK in December 2013 and there is now only one Blockbuster Video store in the world - it's in Bend, Oregon, USA!

Conservation Golf course at the Cox Science Center and Aquarium in Palm Beach, Florida

There's a miniature golf course at the Cox Science Center and Aquarium in Palm Beach, Florida, USA.

As big fans of minigolf, and curators of the Crazy Golf Museum, it's always interesting seeing minigolf/museum crossovers.

Visit the Cox Science Center and Aquarium website for more information.

The 18-hole outdoor miniature golf course was designed by Jim Fazio and Gary Nicklaus and is designed to educate visitors about natural Florida habitats.

It's worth noting that the course will be closing on the 12th June!

Crazy Golf at Wythenshawe Park, Manchester

A revisit to the Crazy Golf course at Wythenshawe Park in Manchester.

One of our local minigolf courses can be found at Wythenshawe Park in Manchester. Unfortunately it's been closed for many years and has fallen into disrepair.

We swung by the course for another look last weekend.

We last visited the layout in June 2020.

We actually did play the course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour way back in 2009.

Wythenshawe Park is/was also home to a Pitch & Putt course. This too has not been open for some time, but you can still see the course layout - mainly by the bunkers dotted around the field.

Mini Golf at the Museum of Ice Cream in Chicago

There's a miniature golf course at the Museum of Ice Cream in Chicago.

The Museum of Ice Cream has locations in Austin, Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York City, and Singapore, with a new location opening in Las Vegas soon.

Looking at the Museum of Ice Cream website the only location with a minigolf course is the Chicago venue.

The KitKat x Blockbuster pop-up in Soho, London

KitKat has created a 'Blockbuster Video' pop-up shop in Soho, London as part of a new promotional campaign.

The pop-up video shop is part of a nostalgia inspired campaign to launch KitKat's new sharing bars.

The video/chocolate shop can be found on Greek Street in Soho, London from Wednesday 9th to Saturday 12th April.

Unfortunately I can't make it down to London to visit, but luckily my friend Sarah Ward was able to swing by today! Sarah joined the queue and sent me these snaps from her visit to the Blockbuster store!

Sarah told me that while there was a fairly long queue and the pop-up was proving popular, the queue did go down quite quickly. As part of the experience visitors receive a KitKat sharing bar along with a code to stream a movie.

Check out the Nestlé website for opening times and more information about the KitKat / Blockbuster pop-up.

Nostalgia and lost brands

Emily and I have spent the last few years reminiscing about 'the good old days'. One of our areas of interest is in old retail brands - we're both marketers by profession and two of my first jobs in the 1990's and the year 2000 were at Tandy and Toys R Us, while Emily's first job was at a Happy Shopper shop. It's been fascinating to find remnants of these brands - and a number of other lost, dead and defunct brands - on the high street and at retail parks around the UK.

During the pandemic our interest in lost brands and retail history was piqued and over the last five years we've been to several former Blockbuster Video stores around the UK, as well as finding some other old, and some still open, video shops on our travels.

At its peak in 2004 there were more than 9,000 Blockbuster Video stores around the world. 500+ of which were in England, Scotland and Wales. Interestingly in Northern Ireland the Xtra-Vision brand was used by the owners in-line with the Republic of Ireland.

The last Blockbuster Video shop ceased trading in the UK in December 2013 and there is now only one Blockbuster Video store in the world - it's in Bend, Oregon, USA!

Pitch & Putt and Putting at Bantock House Museum & Park in Wolverhampton

There's a Pitch & Putt layout and Putting course at Bantock House Museum & Park in Wolverhampton. 

As big fans of minigolf, and curators of the Crazy Golf Museum, it's always interesting seeing minigolf/museum crossovers.

Visit the Bantock House Museum & Park website for more information.

King Pins opening in Leeds

A new King Pins tenpin bowling & entertainment centre is opening in Leeds later this year.

The new King Pins location at the White Rose Shopping Centre in Leeds will have Crazy Pool as one of the games on offer when it opens.

The venue will also have tenpin bowling, darts, shuffleboard, ice-free curling and more.

Check out the King Pins website for more information.

KitKat x Blockbuster pop-up in Soho, London

KitKat has created a Blockbuster Video pop-up shop in Soho, London! It's there from today (9th April) until Saturday (12th April).

The pop-up video shop is part of a nostalgia inspired campaign to launch KitKat's new sharing bars.

The shop will be located on Greek Street in Soho, London from Wednesday 9th to Saturday 12th April.

Check out the Nestlé website for more information about the KitKat / Blockbuster pop-up.

From the photos I've seen on social media, the KitKat/Blockbuster 'video shop' looks very cool.

Nostalgia and lost brands

We've spent the last few years reminiscing about 'the good old days'. One of our areas of interest is in old retail brands - we're both marketers by profession and two of my first jobs in the 1990's and the year 2000 were at Tandy and Toys R Us, while Emily's first job was at a Happy Shopper shop. It's been fascinating to find remnants of these brands - and a number of other lost, dead and defunct brands - on the high street and at retail parks around the UK.

During the pandemic our interest in lost brands and retail history was piqued and over the last five years we've been to several former Blockbuster Video stores around the UK, as well as finding some other old and some still open video shops on our travels.

At its peak in 2004 there were more than 9,000 Blockbuster Video stores around the world. 500+ of which were in England, Scotland and Wales. Interestingly in Northern Ireland the Xtra-Vision brand was used by the owners in-line with the Republic of Ireland.

The last Blockbuster Video shop ceased trading in the UK in December 2013 and there is now only one Blockbuster Video store in the world - it's in Bend, Oregon, USA.

Indoor Mini Golf at Linvilla Orchards in Media, Pennsylvania

There's an indoor Mini Golf course at Linvilla Orchards in Media, Pennsylvania, USA.

As big fans of minigolf, and curators of the Crazy Golf Museum, it's always interesting seeing minigolf/museum crossovers.

Called Linvilla Orchards Fore! The Planet, the 18-hole mini golf course is an interactive and playful museum exhibit created by the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia.

Linvilla Orchards is a 300-acre family farm dedicated to agriculture, entertainment and education.

Visit the Linvilla Orchards website for more information.

Queen of Hearts Crazy Cues at Fairytale Farm in Chipping Norton

Fairytale Farm in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire has a new activity for visitors to play - Queen of Hearts Crazy Cues.

The game is a cross between Crazy Golf and Snooker.

The Crazy Cues course is part of the farm's new area inspired by Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

The Crazy Cues attraction has been designed so that each of the 12-holes can be accessible to all players.

Looking at the Crazy Cues tables it appears they are Pit-Pat tables! A game not often seen in the UK, and to my knowledge there is only one other Pit-Pat layout in the country (at Watermouth Family Theme Park and Castle in Devon - where it is known as Crazy Snooker).

The Crazy Cues course is a new one for us to check out on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Visit the Fairytale Farm website for more information.

New Adventure Golf at Beacon Park in Lichfield

Plans for a new Adventure Golf course to replace the old minigolf course at Beacon Park in Lichfield, Staffordshire have been approved.

The new outdoor Adventure Golf course at Beacon Park in Lichfield, Staffordshire is being created as part of improvement works to the facilities at the park.

The plans for the new Adventure Golf course at Beacon Park were put forward by Lichfield District Council and Microsports, with the course planned to be developed by RL Golf Construction Ltd.

The Adventure Golf course at Beacon Park will be a new one for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

We've been to Beacon Park before. Back in September 2017 we played the Eternit-style Miniature Golf course at the park. That layout became the 461st played and 775th visited on our travels.

Crazy Golf at Beacon Park in Lichfield (September 2017)

Crazy Golf at Beacon Park in Lichfield (September 2017)

Mini-Golf at the Stettler Town and Country Museum in Alberta, Canada

There's a mini-golf course at the Stettler Town and Country Museum in Alberta, Canada.

As big fans of minigolf, and curators of the Crazy Golf Museum, it's always interesting seeing minigolf/museum crossovers.

The outdoor mini-golf course at the Stettler Town and Country Museum opened in 2024 and is dedicated to the town's former mayor Dick Richards.

Find out more on the Stettler Town and Country Museum website.

The Adventure Golf course in Dawlish is being removed

The Safari Adventure Golf course near the seafront in Dawlish, Devon is being removed as part of work by South West Water to improve water quality in the area!

Following the work and complete removal of the layout a new course will replace it.

Miniature Golf has been played on the site at York Gardens in Dawlish.

The Safari Adventure Golf course opened in 2018 and itself replaced a Swedish Felt Mini Golf course that had been in the location since the 1990s.

I've got a number of old postcards dating from the 1930's and 40's through to the 70's and 80's that show a grass Putting course on the spot. When we visited in 2015 we were pleased to see a couple of postcards showing the Swedish Felt course on sale in the town and I bought a stack of them from the Tourist Information Centre to post out to friends.

The Mini Golf course on our visit in 2015. The 'Dawlish' sign has been prominent on the course for many years. In older photos of the course the word was spelled out in plants

We haven't been back to Dawlish since, so haven't had a round on the Safari Adventure Golf course, and it is unlikely we will get a chance before its removed this summer. It'll be interesting to see what the next course looks like...

Rocket Park Mini Golf at the New York Hall of Science

The New York Hall of Science has a mini golf course.

As big fans of minigolf, and curators of the Crazy Golf Museum, it's always interesting seeing minigolf/museum crossovers.

Rocket Park Mini Golf at the New York Hall of Science is a 9-hole outdoor course.

Visit the New York Hall of Science website for more information.

Mini Golf at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri

There's an art-inspired mini golf course at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

As big fans of minigolf, and curators of the Crazy Golf Museum, it's always interesting seeing minigolf/museum crossovers.

Art Course is an artist designed outdoor 9-hole miniature golf course location in the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park and each of the holes is a creative interpretation of a work in the museum's collection.

Check out the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art website for more information.

Our friends Tom & Robin at A Couple of Putts were involved in the creation of the course. You can find out more on their website.

Shipwreck Island Adventure Golf in Goodrington Sands

The minigolf course at Youngs Park in Goodrington Sands, Paignton, Devon has been refurbished and is now Shipwreck Island Adventure Golf.

We played the old version of the course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour trip around the South West coast back in 2015. It was the 600th course we visited in the UK.

Adventure Golf at Nairn Lochloy Holiday Park

Nairn Lochloy Holiday Park in Inverness, Scotland has a new Adventure Golf course.

A new Adventure Golf course has been created at the Parkdean Resorts Nairn Lochloy Holiday Park in Inverness, Scotland.

The course was created by the team at Easigrass Golf.

Check out the Parkdean Resorts Nairn Lochloy Holiday Park website for more information.

Big Rolo

They'd be massive Rolos!

Wonky Donkey Crazy Golf at Hall Hill Farm in Lanchester, Durham

There's a Crazy Golf course at Hall Hill Farm in Lanchester, Durham.

Hall Hill Farm in Lanchester, Durham has an outdoor minigolf course called Wonky Donkey Crazy Golf.

You can find out more about the 9-hole outdoor crazy golf course and the farm attraction on the Hall Hill Farm website.

Mini-Golf at Sciencenter in Ithica, New York

There's a Mini-Golf course at Sciencenter in Ithica, New York, USA.

As big fans of minigolf, and curators of the Crazy Golf Museum, it's always interesting seeing minigolf/museum crossovers.

The Mini-Golf course at Sciencenter is an 18-hole science-themed layout.

 

Visit the Sciencenter website for more information.

Shipwreck Rock Adventure Golf in Felpham, West Sussex

A new Adventure Golf course has opened at Blakes Road Sports Site in Felpham.

The 9-hole outdoor Shipwreck Rock Adventure Golf course can be found at Blakes Road in Felpham, West Sussex.

Check out the Tivoli Lifestyle website for more information.

It's another new course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. Although not a new location, as we played the grass Putting course there back in 2011.

The Japanese Garden at Walkden Gardens in Sale

A walk through the Japanese Garden at Walkden Gardens in Sale, Greater Manchester in March 2025.

We had a pleasant wander through the Japanese Garden at Walkden Gardens in Sale recently.

Find out more about the gardens on the Walkden Gardens website.

Mattatuck Museum Mini Golf (2018)

Noting the Mattatuck Museum Mini Golf course back in 2018.

As big fans of minigolf, and curators of the Crazy Golf Museum, it's always interesting seeing minigolf/museum crossovers.

Back in 2018 the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, Connecticut, USA had a 9-hole mini golf installation from June to September.

The course was themed and decorated by the museum and fabricated by Oldham Studios.

Adventure Golf at Lizard Point Holiday Park

There's an Adventure Golf course at the Lizard Point Holiday Park in Helston, Cornwall.

Find out more on the Parkdean Resorts Lizard Point Holiday Park website.

Pizza Putt at the Children's Museum of Wilmington in Wilmington, North Carolina

There's an annual fundraiser involving minigolf at the Children's Museum of Wilmington in Wilmington, North Carolina, USA.

As big fans of minigolf, and curators of the Crazy Golf Museum, it's always interesting seeing minigolf/museum crossovers.

This year the Children's Museum of Wilmington held its first annual fundraiser with a Pizza Putt event.

The event was held on the 7th February and saw visitors enjoy unlimited pizza, minigolf and craft beer.

The success of the inaugural event has meant that it will be an annual tradition, with the next edition scheduled for the 6th February 2026.

Find out more about the event on the Children's Museum of Wilmington website.

Cranbrook on the Green at Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Information about Cranbrook on the Green at Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, USA.

As big fans of minigolf, and curators of the Crazy Golf Museum, it's always interesting seeing minigolf/museum crossovers.

Each summer Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan hosts Cranbrook on the Green, a pop-up artist-designed mini-golf course.

This year the course is open from the 3rd May until the 28th September.

Check out the Cranbrook Art Museum website for more information.

Our friends Tom & Robin at A Couple of Putts were involved in the creation of the course. You can find out more on their website.

Lost World Adventure Golf course in Hemsby, Norfolk

Taking a look at the Lost World Adventure Golf course in Hemsby, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.

Lost World Adventure Golf course in the seaside town of Hemsby, Norfolk is my favourite course. It was one of the first courses we played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and the theming there was superb.

We've revisited several times over the years and look forward to many more rounds there in the future.

Here's a look at the 9-hole themed course.

Visit the Lost World Adventure Golf website for more information about the course, opening time and prices.

Pizza Vending Machines

A look at two pizza vending machines in Southampton and Worthing.

Let's Pizza in Southampton

Pizza Rebellion in Worthing

Have you ever used one? What was the result like?