New venue for old game of skittles
Two-week league playing the traditional English pub game
An old game has been getting a new lease of life in a Taranaki pub this month. For two weeks part of the beer garden in Stratford’s Colonel Malones has been turned into a skittles alley, with patrons able to enjoy a round of skittles as well as a round of drinks.
“Skittles and beer is about as Shakespearean as you can get,” said Stratford Shakespeare Trust member Suzanne Blackwell.
Blackwell was at Colonel Malone’s Restaurant and Bar on Wednesday, April 3 for the first round of the twoweek league.
She said skittles is a traditional English pub game similar to bowls, using a wooden alley, bowls and skittles (pins).
She said the league was a perfect addition to this year’s Stratford Shakespeare Festival, which celebrates the Bard’s birth month.
“We ran the league at last year’s festival and it was so popular we decided to bring it back. Shakespeare would have played skittles at his local tavern. It’s a well-known game in England with many of the bars over there having a skittles alley.”
Blackwell said the game is noisy, fun and suitable for all skill levels.
“The great thing is, anyone can play it regardless of ability.”
She said the skittles set was created locally.
“Reuben Lett created the alley and the skittles and balls were handturned by Tony Waterson, which is how they would have been created in the day.
“The skittles and balls were made to the specification needed for the game,” she said.
The league runs over two weeks, with the final night taking place on Wednesday, April 10. Blackwell said teams, of four people, were welcome to come along and play on finals night even if they hadn’t played the week before.
“Get your team ready and come along for some noisy fun.”
As well as bragging rights, the winning team will receive a tab of $100 to spend at Colonel Malone’s Restaurant and Bar, she said.
“We’re very thankful to the staff for letting us set up the game here in the garden bar and supplying a wonderful prize.”
The game will also be set up at Baldrick’s Big Day Out.
“People can fine-tune their skills during the league, maybe win the prize and then show off their skills at our festival’s grand finale.”