What a sight! Thirty-six bowling lanes - yes you read that right - and they were all fully booked. The girl on the counter said the next available game that could be booked was 8pm. It was now 2pm.
The place was buzzing - lights, music, people - the reopening weekend of Tenpin Southampton was well and truly in full swing.
The unit, in Auckland Road, Millbrook, is massive and it was packed. It seemed the whole of Hampshire had turned out to show their support.
Back in 2023, the bowling alley's future looked uncertain as plans were in place to turn it into a builders' merchants - however people power won through and it was saved after hundreds of people petitioned against its demolition.
Fast forward to 2024, and the entertainment centre has had a huge £4m update and it's back up and running - and it seems Southampton has missed it.
As you walk through the door, you are greeted with an arcade, so many new machines, on which you can win tickets to exchange for prizes. There's also an escape room to the right and pool tables to the left.
In front, the main attraction - 36 lanes of bowling. We visit on possibly one of the busiest days it will ever have, and admittedly there are a few queues, but there are so many people and the staff are working hard, dealing with everyone in turn. We check in for our game of bowling (there's no need for bowling shoes anymore), and make our way to our lane.
The equipment is all new, there are balls of every weight, and thankfully there are bumpers and a ramp for the little ones.
Our youngest child wins, but a short period of desolation from our eldest is put quickly to rest with a game of crazy golf. It's a prison theme, which might sound strange for young kids, but it works really well.
Groups of all ages are making their way round, from hen parties, to families, it's clear there's an enjoyment in this odd set up. One moment you have to get a ball past a guard dog, or up into a loo, and then you're in the canteen or shooting balls at a prisoner line-up. It's much more fun than it sounds on the tin.
After our golf, we have enough time to squeeze in a short stay in the soft play - a huge cage of excited children running round a whacky warehouse style set-up. Slides, bright colours, you know the sort.
After our trio of activities, and a whole afternoon at the centre, we decide to call it a day, ears ringing from the music and senses overloaded by all the fun.
I am told there are karaoke rooms, which look great fun and also a futuristic laser tag arena, but we will have to save that for another day.
There's a fully licensed bar too, and we hope to be back without kids one evening to test out the cocktails - and wail into a microphone safe in a padded sound-proof karaoke room.
Tenpin Southampton is worth a trip, it's so much fun and we are sure it will do well, but do allow extra time to deal with the car park which can get busy and to wait in any queues at peak times.
The centre is open seven days a week, 10am until midnight. A game of bowling costs £5 per person at quieter times, karaoke starts from £20 for 30 minutes, two hours soft play starts at £3 per child, prison putt is £5 per game for children and £7.50 per game for adults. An affordable family day out, which is sure to please everyone.
It is also a good idea to book online before your visit, go to tenpin.co.uk/our-locations/southampton/
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