The first rule of Flight Club, is definitely talk about Flight Club.
We think you’ll be hearing a lot about Flight Club over the coming months. Scheduled for its public opening tonight, the new venue on Birminghams favourite street for the discerning socialiser asked us to come and check them out last night as part of their media launch event.
Temple Street is already bustling with places to have a drink with your friends and something to eat, and is easily one of the busiest areas of Birmingham on a friday and Saturday. Taking over the old TSB Bank building, Flight Club founders Steve and Paul have pulled the old grey bank apart and seem to have done their best to cram a 1940s fairground into the two floors that their new venue covers. They’ve already had success with their venue in Bloomsbury, London which is booked out months in advance and they’ve found just the right time and venue to expand in Birmingham.
Even before you walk in, the outside of Flight Club looks amazing. Think back to the beautiful old victorian pubs with dark green tiling and stained glass windows. This is what has been dropped into an unsuspecting Temple Street, which is not short of striking looking bars. Flight Club fits in nicely with its own clear identity. Upstairs, to combat any glare from the outside they have had custom made stained glass screens in front of all the windows, giving a wonderful old fashoined vibe that fits in beautifully with the victorian pub/fairground asthetic.
Harriet greeted us as we walked in and gave us a quick tour of the venue. She showed us the “oches” (techinical term for the darts lanes), and talked us through the computers and technology that do all the hard work for you. No need to worry if you’re not so hot at maths, the software designed by an actual astrophysicist who used to work for NASA will do all that for you. Your standard game is demolition which will be familier to most: Start at 180 and score as many points as possible to get yourself down to zero. For those of us that are more there for the taking part, they changed the rules so you don’t have to finish a double or a treble.
They also have Snakes and Ladders where the board is your dice (bullseye is 6, outer bull is 5, inner circle is 4, trebles are 3, outer circle 2, doubles 1) and your counter moves around the board depending on where you hit. I fell victim to the Big Mamba snake more times that I would like.
There are a variety of of other different games, Shang Hai, killer and Duck shoot.
Downstairs was hugely busy, so Harriet ushered us upstairs, to the area that can be hired out if you so wish. We were set up with a lane with some other folks and let loose on the games.
Flight Club is designed to be very customer friendly, and to take care of your needs. They’ve thought of everything, even building in small storage areas in your lanes to hide away bags and coats. Also, huge love for the fact that you can press a button on your dart dashboard and a server will appear to take your drink or food order! Skyla was taking care of us last night, and if you are visiting I recommened you see if you can get her on your lane. Nothing was too much trouble for her, and she was on the spot for everything we wanted.
During my breaks from the darts I got chatting to Harry, the floor manager of the venue. He’s really excited at the new place, and is expecting it to be hugely busy. They’re also looking ahead at taking bookings for christmas in the near future, so if you’re after a venue for an office christmas outing, this would be a great choice. He put us in the direction of the food coming out. We tried a variety of pizzas, chicken peices and hor-deurves. The chicken pizza was lovely, and the salmon bites were amazing.
If you’re more of a drinker than a darts player, you’re covered as well. They have some signiature cocktails and some decent offers on Prosecco and champagne. For the spirt drinkers amongst you, the bars are really well stocked and Mr Trips who does love a bourbon was kept very happy with the bulleit bourbon and coke on offer.
All in all, we loved Flight Club. Mr Trips is already talking about going back and also getting his work collegaues to muck in for their christmas do. Don’t hang around to check them out, and if you find yourself in the area tonight, do drop by.
If the launch night is anything to go by, the public opening night will be brilliant. Let us know if you do go by! Leave a comment about what you thought to it.