Darts: Venues, clubs and businesses thrive from Ally Pally showcase
The nights rolling in at 4pm and no longer being able to resist the temptation of turning on the heating can only mean one thing: the annual darts pilgrimage to Ally Pally is nearly upon us. Because with Luke Littler absolutely romping the Grand Slam of Darts title in Wolverhampton on Sunday, all eyes are [...]
The nights rolling in at 4pm and no longer being able to resist the temptation of turning on the heating can only mean one thing: the annual darts pilgrimage to Ally Pally is nearly upon us.
Because with Luke Littler absolutely romping the Grand Slam of Darts title in Wolverhampton on Sunday, all eyes are now on the World Championships in north London, where Littler burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old 12 months ago.
And the return of the annual competition is a shot in the arm to a number of London businesses too, including the host venue.
Iconic Ally Pally
“We love the darts,” Lucy Fenner, Alexandra Palace commercial director, tells City AM. “It’s become a festive tradition, and one of the great occasions on the sporting calendar.
“Someone said recently that what Wembley is to football, and Wimbledon is to tennis, Ally Pally is to darts – that sums up the status of the event and what it means to people.
“We are a good fit. We were built as the ‘People’s Palace’ and the darts totally lives up to that spirit, with the fans so crucial to the whole experience.
“As a charity, we face a massive financial challenge. Revenue from events like the darts – as well as the snooker and our live music programme – is crucial to our survival.”
And it is, as usual, proving popular. The official Professional Darts Corporation has just one ticket remaining on its fan-to-fan resale platform – in the family section – with every session’s original tickets sold out months in advance.
