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Ah, country pursuits – ratting, lamp-lighting, three-day eventing and shooting stuff (animals, mainly). There are lots of things that you can do in the great outdoors that city dwellers are not able to experience on a daily basis. Happily, though, at least one of those things is now available for even the most resolute urbanite without them having to go anywhere near Norfolk.
A new entertainment concept, Clays is a virtual clay-pigeon-shooting bar. For those not totally sure what a clay pigeon is, it isn’t literally a clay pigeon. It’s a kind of pottery discus that is flung by a launcher into the air while you blast away at it with a shotgun. It’s a lot of fun, if you like that kind of thing, and avoids the needless slaughter of real sentient birds. Even so, it does require actual shotguns with actual shotgun cartridges in them, so not really ideal for a night of booze and fun with the team from Accounts.
Clays offers a simulator, with realistically balanced and sized shotguns that electronically take down their targets without any actual shot being slung about the place. It claims that ‘the game has been developed using state-of-the-art technology which tracks your gun’s movements to sub-millimetre accuracy. The precision of the game and realism of the shotgun provides an engaging shooting experience.’
It’s not some poky Victorian sideshow, either. Across two floors and 11,000 square feet, Clays has 12 ‘pegs’ (shooting booths), so a whole lot of Johnnies and Jemimas can get down there waving their weapons around. There’s also a lot of tasty-sounding food options (with not a game pie in sight) and drinks curated by John Calabrese, best known for The Hoxton Pony.
It’s planned to open at the beginning of November, so if you’re after a Christmas party with a difference this year, maybe think about one that involves guns.
Clays, 55 Moorgate, EC2R 6LL. Opens early Nov.