In a series of railway arches not far from London Bridge station, groups of revellers crouch over long brightly lit polished tables, sharing platters of food and taking turns to skim neon-coloured pucks while a DJ spins dance hits. Occasionally a player raises their fists in celebration at landing a high score or bouncing an opponent into the gutter.
Welcome to Electric Shuffle, just one example of an increasingly popular kind of night out – “competitive socialising”. These venues take a traditional game – in this case shuffleboard – and revamp it with technology, striking design and a nightclub atmosphere. Scorekeeping for the multiple ways to play is done automatically by sensor while the best shots are caught on video and shown on screen.
