Cardiff’s varied and vibrant nightlife has received an upgrade with the arrival of Lane 7, an independent boutique bowling and entertainment concept. Taking over the venue previously occupied by Par 59 at the site of Imperial Gate on St Mary’s Street, the venue closes the gap between nightlife and high-end gaming.

Stepping inside the venue at Imperial Gate reveals a carefully curated experience spread across three distinct levels. While there are traditional bowling alleys in the city of Cardiff, this may be the first luxury, high-end and bespoke bowling alley. A number of lanes are found on the ground floor, not too far away from the karaoke bars and a photo booth. Far from a traditional entertainment center, L7 pairs bowling with a myriad of wide-ranging traditional and new arcade games. For example, there’s the opportunity to play more traditional games like Mortal Kombat and Mario Kart, but there’s also a tech-driven shuffleboard, interactive darts, “big putts” mini golf, and beer pong. For sports fans, large high-definition screens are integrated within L7 throughout the venue, with the opportunity to turn the venue into an ideal hub for live sporting events.

 Within the nightlife of Cardiff, L7 is a very, very welcome addition.  A robust menu of soft drinks and mocktails highlights the venue’s accessibility for non-drinkers and different communities. While most venues in Cardiff revolve around alcohol, L7 has a truly inclusive approach in its outlook, atmosphere and warm welcome. This is a deliberate choice from the venue, offering a late-night experience in the city where most events and activities focus on alcohol.

The menu offers a huge range of street food, designed to be shared in groups between games. And, unlike other high-end bowling in the city that are adults-only: people under 18 can be on premises until 7pm. This makes it a rare hybrid destination in being able to cater to communities, families and young people. It has a cross-generational appeal, something that is lacking in the city centre.

 L7 is open until 12am from Monday to Wednesday and closes at 2am from Thursday to Sunday. It’s a long overdue alternative for Cardiff’s late-night crowd that doesn’t require you to leave the city centre. Long live L7!