Bristol now boasts a new national darts centre, Hangar61, which has opened its doors on the site of the former Patchway Sports and Social Club. The facility is designed to support the growth of darts at grassroots, junior and elite levels, and is operated by the Junior Darts Corporation (JDC) in partnership with dartboard manufacturer Winmau.
The venue occupies a building that closed in October 2024 after the previous sports and social club ran into severe financial difficulties and lost its insurance. Patchway Town Council, as landowner, took over the property and launched a tender process for its future use. The name Hangar61 was chosen to honour the area’s aviation heritage.
Inside, the centre features a state-of-the-art arena, 32 match boards with live tablet scoring, and a production room equipped with broadcast facilities for streamed and media events. Beyond the darts infrastructure, the space is also being developed as a community hub for Patchway and north Bristol, with plans for a public sports bar, a kitchen serving international cuisine, social gaming zones including augmented darts, crazy golf, karaoke and pool, plus flexible event spaces.
The venue faced some local opposition over its licensing application for late-night alcohol sales. South Gloucestershire councillors ultimately limited alcohol and hot food sales to 1 am on Fridays and Saturdays only, with last orders at 11:30 pm from Sunday to Thursday. Live music will be permitted until 11 pm on weekdays and 12:30 am at weekends.
JDC and Winmau partnership
The opening of Hangar61 is the direct result of what has been described as the “biggest deal in junior darts history” — a partnership between the JDC and Winmau announced in March 2025 and spanning more than a decade. The collaboration represents a substantial investment aimed at transforming junior participation in the sport through structured growth and development.
Winmau, a long-term partner of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), has played a key role in bringing the project to life. Its investment has secured a dedicated, permanent home for the JDC in Bristol. Since the partnership began, Winmau-affiliated academies nationwide have reportedly doubled in size, underscoring the surge in interest at grassroots level.
Hangar61 will host JDC academies, community coaching programmes and professional-level training. It will also stage flagship competitions including the Junior Power League, the Girls Series and the Advanced Tour, alongside pathway events such as the Foundation Tour, which is designed for players taking their first steps on the competitive ladder. The JDC said the centre will continue to operate as a space for local residents, families and young people, remaining open to those discovering the sport for the first time.
Steve Brown, founder and chairman of the JDC, said: “This is a hugely important day for the JDC and for junior darts in the UK. Hangar61 gives us a permanent home that matches the ambition of our programme and the talent of the young players coming through. 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.”
Tom Brown, chief executive of Nodor Group, Winmau’s parent company, added: “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. With Hangar61, 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.”
The centre sits within a broader context of rapid expansion in UK darts, which has moved beyond traditional pub settings to become a mainstream cultural force and live entertainment experience, driven in part by the accessibility of the sport and the rise of charismatic younger players. Technology is also playing a growing role, with smart dartboards offering digital scoring and performance analytics attracting a tech-savvy audience. The PDC’s “Darts on Your Doorstep” programme is among other grassroots initiatives aimed at improving playing conditions in local clubs.
The JDC and Winmau partnership is seen as a crucial part of the talent pipeline feeding into events such as the PDC Development Tour and World Youth Championship, which have helped produce stars like Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and Fallon Sherrock. Wayne Mardle, a darts legend and Winmau ambassador, has hailed Hangar61 as “transformational” and “groundbreaking”, suggesting it could become the “blueprint” for future darts facilities and has the potential to “produce world champions.”
