Riverside Bowl (or Riverside Bowl & Lazer Quest as the centre is now known) is on the same site as the original 1963 bowling centre.
Tenpin bowling came to the UK from the states in the early sixties and I reckon the New Brighton centre could well have been one of the first in the UK. (Although I know it was definitely not
the first)
The centre was opened in '63 as
Fairlanes by a Douglas Fairbanks. I have scanned below the original programme from the Grand Opening of the centre and it is signed by Mr. Fairbanks.
As far as I know, the centre was not operating for too long before being taken over by the Granada group (perhaps just a few years). A lot of people will remember the bowl as Granada Bowl.
The centre then passed to a Manchester company around 1995, becoming Riverside Bowl. In April 2005, the bowl (now over 40 years old) was demolished and a brand new state-of-the-art bowling centre built on the site. The new centre has 24 bowling lanes as well as a Lazer Quest arena and opened in September 2005. (Two years ago)
In July of this year, the centre was acquired by American Amusements who operate centres in the south of England.
Prior to the construction of the original bowling centre in the early sixties, Wilkie's Circus had been on the site. The Palace amusement centre next door is owned by the Wilkie family to this day.
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