Fun and games: The resurgence of retro recreation

The UK is currently witnessing an emergence of old-school – and arguably kitsch – games cropping up in pubs, bars and other venues. No longer are the likes of table tennis, chess and darts confined to smoke-engulfed gentleman's clubs and dilapidated pubs, with the revival of these games, new venues have appeared to not only prolong their existence as British pastimes, but to modernise them. They have well and truly become a cool and accepted source of fun among the adult population.

Bars such as Flight Club in Shoreditch, London, give darts a modern flair. Gone are the days of squabbling over scores jotted down with chalk and boards monopolised by trigger-happy players; Flight Club makes the game slick and social. With automatic scoreboards and high-tech touchscreens in a dimly lit, speakeasy-style interior, it has introduced technology to a game that, up until now, has been fairly singular, only concerned with ergonomics and precision.

Twenty Twenty Two, offering table tennis in Manchester's trendy Northern Quarter, is a basement club that brings a Victorian sport to an unexpected venue, exemplifying the multifaceted nature of modern nightlife. At one of its bookable tables, groups can play among graphic artwork, surrounded by graffiti-adorned walls, vintage leather furniture and industrial pillars. The venue even offers free bouts on a Monday evening, giving its visitors the chance to prepare for its monthly tournaments

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Even lesser-known social games are following suit as part of this revival. Shuffleboard, widely played in England in the 15th and 16th centuries and currently enjoyed by both Brooklyn hipsters and the retired set in the US, is gaining traction in the UK again. Once so popular it had to be legally banned by Henry VIII (also a fan) for leading people into "wicked" ways, the game is unfamiliar to many , but its renaissance will see a 30,000sq ft venue in London transformed into eight full-sized courts at the aptly named London Shuffle Club, which opens its doors in October. The game is played at 22ft tables and uses a "tang" (large stick) to push a "biscuit" (puck) down into the triangular narrowed area, scoring points. The sport is a bit niche, making the Shuffle Club a particularly experimental venture, but with Americana-inspired food and disco and tutorials at the ready for those not yet acquainted with the sport, it's sure to be a successful one.