As hobbies and pleasurable experiences besides sitting in a pub drinking go, bowling is one of the…read moremost expensive in the UK. Or perhaps it's just expensive at Strykers.
Either way, it's a bit of cash for something that only a few people in a group end up being good at.
At Strykers, on evenings and weekends, it's £25 per HOUR to bowl. If you have more than three people, that means you get one game and perhaps a few frames. For two people, it means 2.5 games. And that's the most economical way to do it.
On "off-peak" hours (before 6pm during the week), it's still £16 for an hour -- not cheap, but not terrible -- of course, only doable if you pull a sickie at work!
Strykers gets 3 stars for being the only bowling alley in this part of Staffordshire, and for having very friendly, helpful staff. But that's where the points end.
Strykers is one of the most dingy, dirty, frayed-at-the-ends places I've seen. Bowling alleys in small towns can be a bit dire, but in general, they tend to be a bit more gleaming than Strykers.
The decor is from the 80s, and it's all a bit cheap and cheerful, which is fine -- after all, you're there to bowl, not bathe in the glowing ambience.
There is a casino/adults only area with little slot machines, a bar with beer on tap, cheap wine and spirits, and a Wimpy's/fast food area. The food is actually quite cheap, which is good, but it's fast food, as as to be expected.
For the more than occasional bowler, there is a membership club, one for kids and one for adults, and that significantly knocks the price down.
If you are a really keen bowler, Stryker's will knock you for ten (ha!), but if you just want a good time with mates, you may be a bit disappointed at the cost -- if you wanted to make an evening of it, expect to split £75 between a group. Or, grab a few decks of cards, some cigars and brandy and stay in!
