1st Base - Batting Cage and Activity Bar
BEST FOR
Ages 8+
ENTRY
from £7
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Southampton
What it’s like
A batting cage with proper HitTrax stats, plus basketball, shuffleboard and a bar for the grown-ups watching on.
The main event here is the batting cage, kitted out with HitTrax technology so you get real numbers on your swing rather than just bragging rights. It's built for eight and up, and honestly that's about right, since a session is as much about the tech and the competitive edge as the actual hitting.
Book an hour or two, and you can bolt on basketball, shuffleboard or ping-pong for £7 a head. Foosball's free, which feels like a nice touch when everything else here is priced by the hour. Prices swing a fair bit depending on when you go: off-peak is £12 a head for adult groups, but it jumps to £17 at weekends. Families with under-18s get a proper discount, £7 off-peak and £12 on-peak, and there's 30% off the whole booking for groups with kids in tow.
There's a bar doing cocktails at two for £14, plus beers and soft drinks, and American-style street food like pizzas and jumbo hot dogs, with vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free pizza options if you need them. You can't bring your own food or drink in, and you can't bring your own bat either, so leave the kit at home. Parties run from one hour up to four, with premium packages covering food, drink and games for groups up to 40, which makes it a decent shout for a birthday that isn't just soft play again.
Walk-ins sometimes work, but weekends and school holidays fill up fast, and if you're booking within three hours of turning up they want a phone call rather than an online booking. One thing worth flagging: all the bathrooms are up a flight of stairs, so there's no accessible loo despite the front doors being wheelchair friendly. It can get lively when busy, which is part of the fun if you're up for it, less so if you wanted somewhere quiet.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Age 8 and up, especially competitive teens chasing a HitTrax score
- Booking
- Advance booking recommended for evenings, weekends and school holidays
- Parking
- Eastgate Street Multi-Storey Car Park directly opposite
- Food
- Fully stocked bar with cocktails (2 for £14), beers, soft drinks and non-alcoholic options
- Wheelchairs
- Large front doors wheelchair accessible
- Getting there by bus or train
- Southampton Central Train Station about 20 minute walk or 5 minute cab
- Parties
- Premium party packages with exclusive venue access for up to 40 people
- Worth knowing
- Groups with children under 18 receive 30% discount on entire booking
- Foosball's always free, even if everything else is charged by the hour
- Short-notice bookings inside three hours need a phone call, not an online booking
- No accessible bathroom, all toilets are up a flight of stairs
- Groups with under-18s get 30% off the whole booking, worth asking about at checkout
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
Off-peak sessions start at £12 a head for adults, rising to £17 at weekends. Families with under-18s pay £7 off-peak or £12 on-peak, plus there's 30% off the whole booking for groups with kids.
Do we need to book?
Advance booking's recommended for evenings, weekends and school holidays. Walk-ins sometimes work but slots fill quickly, and anything within three hours of arrival needs a phone call.
What's the minimum age?
Eight years old.
How long do sessions last?
Standard sessions run one or two hours. Parties can run anywhere from one to four hours.
Can we add other games?
Yes, basketball, shuffleboard and ping-pong can be added for £7 a person on top of your booking. Foosball's always free.
What's there to eat and drink?
A full bar with cocktails at two for £14, plus beers and soft drinks. Food's American-style street food, pizzas and jumbo hot dogs, with vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free pizza on the menu.
Can we bring our own food or bats?
No outside food or drink, and no bringing your own bat or equipment.
Is there parking?
The Eastgate Street Multi-Storey is directly opposite, and there's sometimes roadside parking outside.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
The front doors are wide and accessible, but there's no accessible bathroom as all the toilets are up a flight of stairs.
Do you do birthday parties?
Premium party packages cover food, drink and games for groups up to 40, and they'll tailor it to what your group wants.
How do we get there by public transport?
Southampton Central is about a 20 minute walk, or roughly five minutes in a cab.
What are the opening hours?
Monday to Friday it's 1pm to 10pm, and weekends 10am to 10pm.
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