New threat to darts in London pubs

The days of darts in London pubs could be numbered according to the new Capital Arrows darts pub guide.

And that's despite the apparent national revival of interest in the sport - the guide's launch coincided with the launch of Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts, Britain's biggest indoor sporting event.

Guide author Justin Irwin found 100 pubs in the centre of the capital that still have a board. Sadly, the guide - available at www.bachelorofdarts.com​ - found that a further 30 have either closed down or got rid of their board over the past 18 months.

Irwin, writer and darts fan, came up with the idea for the guide after discovering that the sport was no longer on offer at a well-known darts bar. He said: "The barman told me that darts had been banned from pubs due to health and safety.

He added: "Large-scale organised national darts began in London in the 1920s. The board that is used throughout the world is known as the London board. At this rate, however, darts in London pubs will have vanished before its' 100th birthday."

To illustrate his point, Irwin argued that just 50 years ago there were 200 London pubs with skittle alleys but now there is just one.

Darts legend Bobby George, who started out playing in pubs, said: "Most publicans know that darts is good for business. I hope Capital Arrows can help encourage more people to play the sport.

"The pub is the 'mother' of darts - all players come from the pub, and that's where players learn to love the game."