A group activity where nobody stands around
The trouble with most group nights out is that they’re drinking with extra steps. Someone ends up on the edge of the conversation. Someone else is on their phone by nine.
Ice-free curling puts the whole group in the same game. You slide stones down a purpose-built sheet, knock the other team’s out of the way, and argue about tactics nobody fully understands yet. Games run in short ends, so people rotate between playing and heckling from the side.
Almost nobody turns up having curled before. That levels out a group fast, whatever the mix of ages and abilities. If you want to know what to expect before stepping onto the ice, read our guide to how to play curling, covering the basic rules, techniques and what happens during a game.
Birthday activities in London
Birthdays are the most common reason groups book with us. The format works because it gives everyone something to do before the food and drinks part of the evening, rather than instead of it.
The House covers three hours in a reserved area with a drink, a small plate and an hour of curling. Curls of Wisdom runs four hours with three drinks and a main meal, which suits a birthday you want to make a proper night of.
Milestone birthdays and mixed-age groups work particularly well. Floor curling is non-contact and low-impact, so nobody has a reason to sit it out.
Organising for children instead? Read our guide to kids’ birthday parties in London.
