"What did you do in your lunch break."
Reply: "I threw axes."
It's not your everyday conversation, but then, Lumberjack Axe Throwing is not your every day activity. Located beneath Sin City nightclub in Dillwyn Street, the independent business has been set up by Matthew Griffin, a 24-year-old carpenter from Llantrisant, following the success of his first axe-throwing business in Cardiff.
The Swansea city centre site, which was once occupied by Peter Alan estate agency, has been transformed into a rustic, specialist venue with 12 wooden target boards for axe-throwing, organised into six double-lanes, and a "rage room" which will open later in the year. The business is aimed at people aged 13+ and is perhaps most suited to groups of friends, colleagues, or couples looking for a quirky date night; but it has recently hosted several hen dos and stag groups, all of which were asked to go axe-throwing before they started drinking and headed out for a night on the tiles!
Explaining how the business idea came about, Matthew told WalesOnline previously : "Back in 2017 I visited London with my brother and we came across an axe-throwing venue and really enjoyed it. I was a carpenter and I started thinking about using my tools and experience to set up my own site in Wales. Two years later, in November, 2019, I launched Lumberjack Axe Throwing in Cardiff. Lumberjack has taken off well and it's been really successful, despite the pandemic, and we now get booked up three weekends in advance." You can get more Swansea news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
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With the success of the Cardiff branch, Matthew decided to open another, bigger, axe-throwing venue in Swansea and felt that the former Peter Alan unit beneath Sin City was the perfect venue as it was well-located in the city centre and a great size for the number of targets he wanted to have. Plus, the unit was previously empty "so I feel Swansea residents will be relieved to see the premises used".
"The Swansea site is double the size of the Cardiff site. We have 12 targets here in lanes of two. It's a really accessible sport, we're really inclusive, we've had people from age 13 to 80 in our Cardiff site [so we'd expect a similar thing in Swansea]," he said. "We focus on safety, all our staff are trained and they explain how you throw the axe and what the rules are. There's no bar here and people can't throw if they've been drinking - we ask stag and hen dos to come here before they go out drinking. We've never had an issue in either our Cardiff or Swansea sites."
Axe-throwing is becoming increasingly popular across the UK and Matthew wants Lumberjack to be seen as an enjoyable "experience," and somewhere friends or families with older children can go for a quirky activity together. "Lots of people play darts or snooker, this is that kind of thing - it's an experience," he said. "I'm proud to say we're an independent business and I'd like to thank my team for their support and my partner, as well as Swansea customers and local businesses for being so welcoming."
In the near future, Matthew plans to introduce competitive leagues at the Swansea venue and hopes to attract people from across the UK to compete against each other on the targets. But Lumberjack will always be open to members of the public who just want to have a go and try and score better than their friends and loved ones! You can read more stories about Swansea here.
What is axe-throwing and what did we think?
Axe-throwing is just as the name suggests: it's an activity based around the throwing of axes! It began as a leisure activity in Canada some years ago, but is now becoming a popular hobby in the UK.
Typically, throwers stand 12-foot away from a target, which looks like a large wooden dartboard, and throw one axe at a time towards it, aiming for the bulls-eye or either of the two 'green dots' at the top of the dartboard. Axe-throwers are guided by trained coaches, who explain the different techniques you can employ to throw the axes, as well as explaining all the safety rules.
It's a fun competition: the closer you are to the bullseye, the more points you score - unless you're lucky enough to hit the 'green dots' and score even higher than a bullseye!
What did we think?
On a sunny Thursday afternoon, WalesOnline reporter Katie Hoggan and I (WalesOnline reporter Molly Dowrick) popped down to Lumberjack to give axe-throwing a go - and we had a great time! Owner of the business, Matthew Griffin, clearly explained the rules of axe-throwing - including where you have to stand, when you're allowed to throw the axe and when you can collect your axe from the board, as well as what safety rules are in place - and this made us feel calm and collected before trying the activity.
This introduction is consistent for every customer - even if someone has thrown an axe at Lumberjack or a similar venue, they will always receive a safety briefing and staff are on-hand if anyone needs further guidance or help.
On my first throw, I launched the axe above my head with all my might - and it smacked the target and fell straight to the ground! This activity is not about strength or power, it's about technique. You have to really concentrate on where you're aiming - similar to when you're throwing a dart at a dartboard - and focus on throwing at a good speed, but not too quick!
As time went on, Katie and I got better. Matthew guided us in the best way to hold the axe, either to the side of your body with both hands at the bottom of the axe and 'stepping into the throw' or by first holding the axe behind your head and propelling it over you. With guidance, we were able to throw the axe at the right angle for it to dig in to the board - a very proud moment! - and we look forward to going back and trying it again.
Lumberjack offers 90-minute sessions which give people plenty of time to learn the ropes and improve their technique over the course of the session. Matthew said that people often surprised themselves with how good they became - axe-throwing isn't about being the strongest, like in some other sports, it's a skill-based activity and it seems that anyone - even me - can eventually learn.
Lumberjack Axe-Throwing can be found in Dillwyn Street in Swansea city centre. It's open weekdays from 4pm to 7.30pm and weekends from 12pm to 9.30pm, or at some other times if requested.
An axe-throwing session, which lasts 90 minutes, is £14 per child and £20 per adult (or £40 if you'd like to have the "throwing and food" option with a starter and main meal at the Smoke Haus in Wind Street after axe-throwing). There's also a special student rate on a Thursday - 90 minutes of axe-throwing for £17 each. Group rates can also be discussed. You can book ahead of your visit online here.
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