Bloomsbury Lanes offers boundless entertainment and a winning all-American atmosphere.

The Venue
The entrance to Bloomsbury Lanes can be found on Bedford Way, roughly five minutes walk from the Russell Square Tube station. Visitors gain access to the venue down a vast carpeted staircase, which leads past several private function rooms used mainly for karaoke, and into the sprawling, low-ceilinged underground complex that houses the establishments main attractions. Passing the spacious authentic American diner on the left, with enough booths and tables to seat several dozen people and an open-front pizza kitchen, you gain access to the booking desk, for reserving lanes and collecting shoes, and eventually the giant bar, shaped like a horseshoe and made from real bowling lane wood. It is surrounded by generously padded bar stools and decked out with scrupulously shiny hand rails, beer pumps and glass holders.

A 90-degree left-hand turn at this point leads into the roomy dancefloor area, complete with leather sofas and a stage that doubles as a DJ booth. To one side is a small outdoor smoking area, and to the other is the jewel in the Lanes crown: the bowling alley itself. Stretching across eight lanes and dazzlingly lit, it can host several hotly-disputed matches at peak periods without resulting in congestion or conflict, and is regularly serviced by specialist staff to ensure everything runs smoothly. An additional five lanes are available for private functions in the newly-opened Kingpin Suite, which can be found to the left of the main entrance, and can hold parties of up to 30 people. Costs for bowling and karaoke can vary according to the time of day and number of people, so it's best to phone ahead for a quote.

The Atmosphere
Naturally, the bowling theme prevails in the overall décor, which does a good job of sprucing up what looks suspiciously like an old underground car park – the walls are wood-paneled and adorned with murals depicting the rules and former patrons of the sport. The lighting is low, the music is loud and between the various sources of entertainment at ones disposal – including table football, pinball, fruit machines, and the lanes themselves – the overall feeling is one of not-unpleasant sensory overload, especially at busy periods.

Students are the main demographic, due to the proximity of several London universities, but the Lanes have something for everyone and aim for a family atmosphere on Sundays, with discount prices and early opening hours – birthdays and other special events can also be catered for on a bespoke basis by the ever-helpful staff. Meanwhile, club nights and/or concerts are an almost nightly occurrence, with themes ranging from hip-hop to disco to “The Big Lebowski”. Obviously a penchant for bowling is a plus, but not necessarily a must for a great night out.

The Food
The Lanes is home to two outlets, Lucky's Diner and Ray's Pizzas, and hearty American cuisine is the order of the day. Big is definitely beautiful – the latter in particular offers impressively huge 28-inch pizzas which even the most committed of parties will have trouble finishing, and the hot dogs, burgers and steaks also come in bountiful portions (and taste great too). There are plenty of salads, light snacks and vegetarian options for the faint-hearted as well. It doesn't come cheap – most mains are between £8 and £10, whilst the large range of in-game snacks provided are around £4-£5 – but you won't walk away feeling short-changed, if you can manage to walk away at all.

The Drink
The bar holds a surprisingly eclectic range of spirits and beers, including Bitburger, Bernard and Meantime on tap (£3.20), and Asahi, Gaffel Kolsch, Dunkertons and Tunnel Vision Stout in bottles (£3.50). Cocktails are small but perfectly formed, with white Russians (£5) an obvious favourite, and other familiar concoctions available on request. A relatively new addition to the menu is Hard Shakes (£5.50), which offer rather sickly combinations of ice cream, syrup and liqueurs for an authentic, albeit overpowering all-American experience, along with a non-alcoholic selection.

The Last Word
A fantastic bar and diner which also happens to have excellent bowling facilities, the Lanes offer a vital, exciting atmosphere which virtually guarantees a fun afternoon or night out in central London.

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