Large scale car racing games and permanent indoor mini golf will feature in a six figure upgrade of one of Newcastle’s most popular leisure venues.
Lane7, who opened the North East’s first boutique bowling concept less than three years ago, will be unveiling two new firsts in the coming weeks.
They will be the ever first venue to permanently install what they’re calling The Racing Rig. The enormous ten-player indoor racetrack offers punters the chance to sit behind real steering wheels and race pedals as competitors race their chosen cars around a live indoor track. So big is the installation, that any other uses of the facility are more commonly temporary installations.
Lane7’s Racing Rig is due to be fitted on the top floor of the St James’ Boulevard venue in early June. And in a double boost for fans of the venue, it will also be installing a permanent mini golf course in its basement, a version of which was last seen as a twelve week pop up at the venue two years ago.
The double installation marks a long-term investment in Lane7s Newcastle operations while bosses there continue to search for suitable additional venues in other UK cities. Operations manager, Charlie Snow, said: “We’re absolutely buzzing. This has been a long time in the planning because, quite frankly, its enormous and we were figuring out how on earth we could install it.
“Having this permanently installed anywhere is completely new to the UK and we’re convinced that The Racing Rig is something that will appeal to a whole new set of fans. It’s loud, fast and brilliant fun.
“At Lane7 we want to make sure we stay ahead of the curve when it comes to cutting edge entertainment. We’re immensely proud to be letting the Newcastle punters get the first chance at seeing this in action.”
And in another first for the North East, Lane7 has revealed that plans are also at an advanced stage to bring indoor mini golf back to the venue. Miss Snow added: “This will be mini golf, Lane7 style. We’re busy designing some fantastic features down in the basement, which will include lots of water, bunkers, heavy rough, a prize-winning final hole and even its own ‘clubhouse’.”
Lane7 admits that two of its four pool tables will have to make way for the Racing Rig, but have confirmed that pool, ping pong, beer pong, karaoke and all ten lanes of bowling will otherwise remain fully available.
The venue has also moved to install a new head chef in Keith Lothian and has promoted Diego Fenwick, who has risen rapidly through the ranks in the kitchens at Lane7, as his deputy for the introduction of a new look menu.
Lane7 has won a huge number of fans and a growing fanbase in the corporate world with its alternative commercial packages that can be developed for group, whole floor or full venue private functions. The likes of Scottish Rugby Union, Convergys, Atom Bank, Sage, and Galliford Try have all utilised the venue for private events
Lane7 can be found on @Lane7Newcastle on twitter