St George Bowls and Social Club
BEST FOR
Ages 0+
ENTRY
from £10
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Bristol
What it’s like
Outdoor lawn bowls and petanque by the hour, with St George Park's playground and skate park right next door.
This is a proper bowling green, not a soft play version of one, so what your kids actually do is roll woods across real grass and have a go at petanque, with board games in the clubhouse if the weather turns or the little ones get bored. Booking is by the slot, up to eight people for an hour, ninety minutes or two hours, and you'll get a short induction if nobody in your group has played before. It's a nice one for a family group with different ages, since the bowls green and the petanque give the older kids something to actually get competitive about while a toddler can be happy chucking a ball around.
Money-wise it's £20 an hour for up to eight players, or £10 if it's just two of you, so it works out cheap per head the bigger your group gets. Bowls only runs April to September though, so this isn't a year-round plan, and you do need to sign up for membership to play or even use the café, which is free but still an extra step before you turn up. Once you're in, the café does empanadas, samosas and cakes, and there are guest food stalls at weekends, though nothing to take away, everything's eaten on site.
Under 10s have a 6pm curfew on Friday and Saturday evenings, with last entry at 5:30pm those nights, which is worth knowing if you were planning a summer evening game after tea. Buggy space in the clubhouse itself is limited, though there's a covered buggy parking area outside, and parking nearby is free for three hours at Chalks Rd for Blue Badge holders. Once you're done with the bowls, St George Park's play area and skate park are right next door, which is the obvious way to stretch the visit without spending anything more.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- All ages welcome, though older kids get more out of the bowls itself
- Last entry
- 5:30pm for groups with under 10s on Fri & Sat
- Booking
- Advance booking recommended. 24 hours notice required for rescheduling
- Parking
- Free 3-hour parking at Chalks Rd (Blue Badge holders)
- Food
- Cafe serving empanadas, samosas, cakes, bar snacks, hot drinks, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages
- Pushchairs
- Limited space in clubhouse. Covered buggy parking area outside
- Wheelchairs
- Temporary accessible ramp and accessible route
- Membership is required to play or even use the café, but it's free to sign up
- Lawn bowls only runs April to September, so it's not a year round option
- No takeaway food or drink, everything's eaten on the premises
- Accessibility arrangements are temporary while improvements are ongoing, so contact them ahead if you need step-free access
- Children's parties aren't offered here
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£20 an hour for up to eight players, or £10 for two players. Ninety minutes and two hour slots cost more, scaling up from there.
Do we need to book?
Advance booking is recommended to secure your slot. If you need to reschedule, they want 24 hours notice, and there are no refunds for bad weather.
Do you need to be a member?
Yes, membership is required to play bowls or use the café and bar, but it's free to join.
Is it OK for young children?
Children of all ages are welcome as long as they're signed in and supervised closely. Under 10s do have a 6pm curfew on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Do we need experience to play?
You get a short induction when you arrive, and there are practice sessions if you want extra guidance.
What's the maximum group size?
Up to 8 people per booking.
When can we play lawn bowls?
It only runs April through September, so it's a spring and summer activity.
What about food?
The café does empanadas, samosas, cakes and hot drinks, with guest food stalls at weekends. Everything's eaten on site, there's no takeaway.
Is there parking?
There's free three-hour parking nearby at Chalks Rd for Blue Badge holders.
Can we bring a buggy?
Space inside the clubhouse is limited, but there's a covered buggy parking area outside.
What if it rains?
Board games are available inside the clubhouse, though bookings aren't refunded for weather so it's worth having a backup plan for the bowls itself.
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