Loads of pool tables, they are currently refurbishing the part with the arcades and ping pong which…read moreis larger than you think. There are two floors for bowling and it's very cheap!! Much be cheapest in London for bowling. Defo one to go with group of friends.

Went to Rowans on an impromptu Saturday night of bowling with some friends. It was pretty easy to…read moreget to although I did question the £3 per person entrance fee until I realised it was Saturday night and Rowans had more than just bowling. Due to the wait times, we only had one game of a bowling which was a shame as some of us were only just getting our eye in! Was good fun although we didn't stay long after our game as it was quite noisy with the DJs and for someone who runs cold I was very, very hot in there!

For entertainment value, Tenpin in Bexleyheath has everything. Bowling is a great activity for…read moregroups of friends to socialise over. It is affordable and something which makes a pleasant change from going to the pub or clubbing. Prices are affordable and deals are available at certain points of the week. The best deal by far though is the all day play special which means you get to keep a lane all day for a fixed price so long as you don't leave the premises. They don't advertise it these days and availability has been slashed but if you ask behind the counter, they will do it for you. Bowling is not the only activity on offer here. There is an arcade and you can regress to a child like state racing cars or shooting monsters. If that doesn't tickle your fancy then there is a bar in which you can chill out and watch sports or play pool. You can always grab a bite to eat too meaning that you can make a complete evening of your visit. The food is quite basic, burgers, chips and hot dogs but it suits the surroundings. Staff are always helpful and are quick to come to the rescue whenever the lanes start playing up. Parking is available on site but it is council run and charges all night long. Wardens regularly patrol the car park as they know they can score a few easy tickets so be careful when parking here.

If you have a child with needs like my boy Jesse avoid Tenpin Bowl, Bexleyheath although the staff…read moreon the desk were nothing but polite and helpful and refunded our two games one particular member of staff was anything but. Jesse ran down the lanes due to being excited as he was finally bowling after watching videos of it on his iPad, although I understand it's dangerous for him to being doing this and after explaining he's non verbal autistic he doesn't understand I was told he is dangerous control it! I explained I had him under control and then the member of staff comes back and starts again. Complete ignorance towards a child with needs and a massive attitude problem. Afterwards he tries to apologise for calling my boy it and starts trying to justify what he was saying and explaining himself leave off mate with your backhanded apology my son is a human being, a boy not an it.

Let's face it Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, whilst glorious in its own way, is far too often…read moreovercrowded and overrated. In this respect, Winterville offers a welcome alternative. The biggest downside to Winterville is its distance from any public underground or train station. Based in Victoria Park in East London, Winterville is a 15-20min walk or a bus-ride (277 / 425) from Mile End underground station. Nevertheless, accessibility via public transport aside, Winterville provides a good range of entertainment, befitting of the festive season.  Upon entering you are offered a handy map of the venue for free, if you should need a cash machine there is one but unfortunately it charges a fee for use, the public toilets are probably the most respectable portable toilets I've ever seen (- like walking into a caravan of toilets), plus there is an impressive range of good food in the food hall as well as from stalls dotted around the place. There is an alternative market hosted by circus folk, selling unconventional, artistic items, accompanied with their own stage for live music. There is a childrens' play area where you can drop off your beloved little ones when they are being particularly annoying or to reward them for being good - take your pick ;). Meanwhile there are fair rides and prize-winning activities as well as an ice-rink and circus shows to give yourself a memorable time.  I don't want to put a damper on things but just to add a bit of honest critique: the ice rink is quite small and when it rains they don't seem to clear out the puddles, the family-friendly circus show is enjoyable enough to watch with a decent variety of acts but does not quite reach incredible heights, and the bumper car ride lasts about 4min for £4 and only allows you to move in one direction which makes it harder to 'bump' someone, hence defeating the purpose somewhat. However all-in-all Winterville is indeed worth visiting for some festive fun, with good grub and mulled cider up for grabs as well as the option of treating yourself to a spot of ice-skating, crazy golf or watching a circus show or film at their very own cinema. Good fun all round.

Finally the time came for my partner (Alex) and I to venture to Winterville! I'd bought tickets for…read moreus to go to the Backyard Cinema Enchanted Forest experience last month as a surprise and had been very excited ever since. I've known about Winterville for a while and just never ventured there but this week was the week and what a great time we had. Alex literally had no idea Winterville existed which was brilliant! We headed in and went straight to the cinema taking in the sites, smells (oh the smells) and sounds around us! There's a circus, crazy golf, an ice rink, rides, mulled wine stalls on every corner and some great local food stalls! We got to the cinema and were given our tickets - no queues, woo! We were then guided round the corner to a wooden wardrobe door. What's inside the door I hear you cry... Narnia of course! No I joke. But it is a Narnia esq closet filled with winter coats and a small gap which you cautiously step into. And then you're in there - the enchanted forest! It's honestly a magical mini experience as you wind your way into the cinema area which is decorated beautifully and truly makes you feel very merry indeed. We grabbed a couple of drinks, some popcorn and 2 tubs of £1 ice cream - yes £1!!! I had the salted caramel and it was delicious and obviously gone in 20 seconds. They have comfy sofas with blankets or bean bags available. Sure it's kind of pricey at £16 a ticket but who cares - it's Christmas, it's romantic and we were watching Bugsy Malone which is just a great film! Once the film had finished we grabbed a bratwurst each and watched people ice skate. Sadly we were a bit low on funds so didn't partake in all that was up for offer but we had a lovely walk around the village and really enjoyed ourselves and our bratwursts! For me Winterville is a more relaxed, quieter, and enjoyable version of Winter Wonderland. Perfect for those living east and wanting to stay away from the tourist crowds. We loved it and will no doubt return next year with a few more pennies to spend!

Dalston Roof Park feels like a tiny, well-kept secret. It sort of is. To get here, one has to…read morenavigate a confusing warren of hallways and elevators through what feels like a building full of NGO and charity offices, cross some fire escapes, and then emerge onto the roof. I'd give you directions but I've already forgotten the way. Still, it was a fun adventure, and it yielded a neat London space. There are nice views out across Dalston, south over Haggerston, east to Hackney and London Fields, and north toward Stokey. The roof itself is covered with astroturf and has little planter boxes of herbs and veggies, and a ramshackle bar with an enticing cocktail menu. There are quite a few places to sit and enjoy the fresh air and views. I went in the middle of December with a friend who was ill, so staying to hang out for a while wasn't an option, but I will definitely be back in summer!

Drinks: 5/5 Service: 5/5…read moreCleanliness: 5/5 Decor & Style: 5/5 Great view at night and very casual, relaxed environment to chill with a group of friends. I still recommend going early so you can grab a table. Large selection of drinks and the service is quick! Great open area where you can sit on the ground as well for the ones that want to truly relax and even laydown! Very different rooftop bar from what I am used to. See the great view of the pic I took at night time.

This place has loads of drop in groups for the under 5's. All with cute names like caterpillars and…read moresprouts!! The staff are really friendly and sessions usually cost just £1.50 which is a bargain. There is a cafe which serves great food at very reasonable prices although the opening hours of the cafe do vary. It has something going on every day and I reccommend picking up a programme of events from the reception.

We took our 2 children (2 and 4) to Rascals for the first time yesterday. Entry fee was about £4.50…read moreper child so as per the earlier comment, if you see yourselves going back then take out a membership. The play area is really compact, as everything is in a self contained cube, covered in strong netting that goes up to 3 levels in height (almost to the ceiling). So whilst its a good use of space, it doesnt leave much room around the edges for parents to sit and have a rest (there was a private party that had most of the tables reserved). At the same time its the only area where children can run from one area to the next so at times it can also get very crowded. When we went we didnt really relax as the only seats were next to a very noisey football game (yes we expected it to be noisey but not to struggle to speak to each other!). There were also trays of food on tables which hadnt been cleared away, so that didn't leave a great first impression either. When you go it might be quieter and cleaner, but at least our children seemed to enjoy it, and its near to where we live so we might go again. But only if we cant find anywhere better!

This is a great soft play centre - real value for money - make sure you become a member if you…read moredecide to come more than once as it's only £4.55 for 2 children (sibling discount). The rig is great - big slides - and there are 2 areas for under 2's. The food is good, I've had 2 birthday parties there and the staff are really wonderful (especially Geri who also painted the murals on the walls). So many places like this are run down and filthy or over-priced. Rascals is the best in the area.

Golf clubs are notoriously up themselves, expensive, and busy. This is certainly not a course for…read morebeginners as it is enormous with 375 yard lay-outs on average. Add in some difficult shots over ditches, sand pits, and small ravines and you have a serious course. However, we had the *best* time getting our balls in 12-13 shots among the 1-2-shot pros... The staff here are amazingly helpful and friendly. We called an hour or so before we wanted a slot and the woman at the front desk instantly set us up with a tee-off time even though they were pretty busy and it was last minute. She said people normally let them know well in advance of renting golf clubs as well, but she was incredibly accommodating. Our whole 3.5 hour experience here cost around 20 quid each, including renting half set of golf clubs each. An amazing deal for a golf course with really experienced members. Literally, Tiger Woods has nothing on a couple people we saw. Incredible. Several groups asked very politely to skip ahead of us which was fine as they all did it in like a shot and it took a few minutes wait. I know we slowed some people down but Cheshunt is very good with beginners and the members seem patient, all things considered. I bet they just wanted to finish up and head to the bar...yes, there is a bar. The bar does not have a large selection but it does large portions of chips and cold beer which we treated ourselves to after. Your hands will be slightly bruised from the club, your shoulders will hurt from carrying the bag, and you will be in awe of how much better everyone is but it will be so worth it! I will be coming back!

Went for a meal in the restaurant here while son and hubby played golf. The restaurant is beautiful…read morewith wooden bar and tables set out in a luxury style but the smell of greasy fatty food wafted from behind the bar where the kitchen is situated. The food on offer is excellent but can be a little hit and miss depending on what is ordered. Drinks at the bar are fair prices and the cutlery is always clean, although it is a help yourself area which means you risk other people having touched it before you.. A large array of condiments are available and pick your own from the sachets near the cutlery Overall good value for money and ok for a quick snack. Also has a great outdoor area which looks out onto the golf course, and they allow dogs as long as you go around the back of the building to the outdoor seating area and not through the club. At doors go to the left and it will take you all the way around to the back of the clubhouse

Churchill Gardens are gorgeous. You can get to them from off the high street, by the Churchill…read moreTheatre, or from the entrance located near Bromley Parish Church. The gardens are basin shaped with a rabbit warren of paths leading you down to the ponds where you can find duck, geese and some tame but neurotic squirrels. I really enjoy the views from higher up near the entrances; you can see over into the Shortlands area of Bromley. There's a whole load of benches dotted around the gardens and a kind of roman patio area too. This isn't really a picnic place; more of a ramble around spot. Really quaint and pretty.

For a local theatre, this is a great venue. Although ticket prices aren't cheap, you can get a…read morecultured night out and save on train fares and the expense of drinks in London. A huge variety of shows play here, from Christmas pantomimes to the comedy to opera. The seats are comfortable and spacious and the quality of the performances is usually high. Unfortunately, shows aren't on all year round but the website is kept up to date so it's always worth a look when planning a night out. Get on the mailing list for regular updates. Discounts are available for friends of the theatre.