New venue for old game of skittles

• Published date: 10 April 2024
• Author: Alyssa Smith
• Publication title: Stratford Press

For two weeks part of the beer garden in Stratford’s Colonel Malones has been turned into a skittles alley, with patrons able to enjoy a round of skittles as well as a round of drinks

“Skittles and beer is about as Shakespearean as you can get,” said Stratford Shakespeare Trust member Suzanne Blackwell.

Blackwell was at Colonel Malone’s Restaurant and Bar on Wednesday, April 3 for the first round of the two-week league.

She said skittles is a traditional English pub game similar to bowls, using a wooden alley, bowls and skittles (pins).

She said the league was a perfect addition to this year’s Stratford Shakespeare Festival, which celebrates the Bard’s birth month.

“We ran the league at last year’s festival and it was so popular we decided to bring it back. Shakespeare would have played skittles at his local tavern. It’s a well-known game in England with many of the bars over there having a skittles alley.”

Blackwell said the game is noisy, fun and suitable for all skill levels.

“The great thing is, anyone can play it regardless of ability.”

She said the skittles set was created locally.

“Reuben Lett created the alley and the skittles and balls were...