DART ARTS: The Pub Venue

Dart Arts Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

It is strange that in years past it never occurred to me that darts is played exclusively in pubs, bars and bowling 🎳 alleys and, this is the part of which I speak, the game for the venue is about selling alcoholic drinks 🍹- duh, Homer Simpson head slap 👋🏼.

If you are a non-drinker, like me, are you welcome and how do the proprietors feel about your playing and not drinking? That and it puts a whole new light on playing darts 🎯 when it is just another income generator where if non-drinkers start to become the majority then why allow darts in the pub?

In days past I was definitely in a minority so small the pub owners did't care because it was known that the drinkers would have non-drinking friends.

Putting the pub owner hat 🎩 on would I want my place of 'business' to allow people who didn't spend money 💰 to just use my place to play a discipline that didn't also generate income? Nope 👎, I would not. I understand the situation and feel bad 😔 that this never occurred to me in the first place. This is especially important if the pub does not serve food, etc., other than drinks. After all, pubs is indicative of drinking and both pool and darts were venues to pull in clientele who - you guessed it - "Drink."

Darts is both a competitive and social discipline thus ideal for pubs to pull in 'paying' customers.

All this and more begs the question, "If a non-drinker should I be playing the game especially since it is done exclusively in pubs, bars and bowling alleys?

This question takes on greater importance when those who participate as non-drinkers start to become a majority as that as an adverse effect on the business.

Personally, I feel bad 😔 because I am a non-drinker and since most d'artists I play with in the league don't drink should I still participate and should the proprietors allow us to participate? I would understand and support them asking us non-drinkers to not use their pubs.

I wonder if a moderate cover charge were imposed at the door 🚪 would alleviate things so we non'ers could still toss darts? I wonder, is there some other way the d'arts could continue outside the pub venue?

I have been racking my mind for alternatives that would keep darts alive but to date have had no success. I am asking myself if I should give it up simply to abide by pub needs toward making the business viable?

Should I ask the pubs where the darts are played if they have a drink minimum requirement and if not don't play there?