A new national darts centre has opened in Bristol. The facility, known as Hangar61, is based in the former Patchway Sports and Social Club and is designed to support the growth of darts at grassroots, junior and elite levels.
Operated by the Junior Darts Corporation in partnership with dartboard manufacturer Winmau, the centre’s mission is focused on the future of darts and nurturing young talent.
The new facility includes a state-of-the art arena, 32 match boards and dart lanes with live tablet scoring, and a production room with broadcast equipment.
It will host JDC academies, community coaching programmes and professional-level training, while continuing to operate as a space for local residents, families and young people.
Flagship competitions such as the Junior Power League, Girls Series and Advanced tour will take place in the new venue. It will also host pathway competitions including the foundation tour for players making their first step on the competition ladder.
Winmau, a long-term partner of the Professional Darts Corporation, has played a key role in bringing the project to life. Its investment helped secure a dedicated, permanent home for the JDC in Bristol, while Winmau-affiliated academies nationwide have doubled in size since the partnership began.
“Hangar61 gives us a permanent home that matches the ambition of our programme and the talent of the young players coming through,” said Steve Brown, founder and chairman of the JDC. “We’ve created a facility that not only supports elite development but is rooted in the local community and open to the next generation discovering the sport for the first time.”
“The growth in darts we’ve witnessed recently has been remarkable, but it’s vital that this momentum is supported by strong development at grassroots level,” said Tom Brown, chief executive of Nodor Group, parent company of Winmau. “We’re proud to offer young players a world-class environment where they can learn, train and progress, supported by state-of-the-art facilities and the very best equipment.”