The United Kingdom's new national darts centre has officially opened its doors in Bristol. Known as Hangar61, the facility is situated in the former Patchway Sports and Social Club and is designed to foster the growth of darts at grassroots, junior, and elite levels.
State-of-the-Art Facilities
The centre, operated by the Junior Darts Corporation (JDC) in partnership with dartboard manufacturer Winmau, includes a state-of-the-art arena, 32 match boards and dart lanes equipped with live tablet scoring, and a production room with broadcast equipment. This infrastructure supports JDC academies, community coaching programmes, and professional-level training, while remaining accessible to local residents, families, and young people.
Competitions and Development
Hangar61 will host flagship competitions such as the Junior Power League, Girls Series, and Advanced Tour, as well as pathway events like the foundation tour for newcomers to competitive darts. Winmau, a long-term partner of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), has been instrumental in realising the project, with its investment securing a permanent home for the JDC in Bristol. Since the partnership began, Winmau-affiliated academies nationwide have doubled in size.
Steve Brown, founder and chairman of the JDC, stated: "This is a hugely important day for the JDC and for junior darts in the UK. Hangar61 gives us a permanent home that matches the ambition of our programme and the talent of the young players coming through. We’ve created a facility that not only supports elite development but is rooted in the local community and open to the next generation discovering the sport for the first time."
Tom Brown, chief executive of Nodor Group, Winmau's parent company, added: "The growth in darts we’ve witnessed recently has been remarkable, but it’s vital that this momentum is supported by strong development at grassroots level. With Hangar61, we’re proud to offer young players a world-class environment where they can learn, train and progress, supported by state-of-the-art facilities and the very best equipment."
