A BELOVED bar and grill is undergoing a significant facelift costing more than £130,000.

The scheme, which began this week, will include the latest in social entertainment technology, new seating and a complete redecoration.

Augmented reality darts is to be installed in the bar area located at the front of the seaside attraction.

Pier director Billy Ball said it is an exciting new concept for the Boardwalk which is likely to attract a strong following.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette: Innovative - The revamp will see new augmented reality darts installed.Innovative - The revamp will see new augmented reality darts installed. (Image: Clacton Pier/Nigel Brown)

He said: “The system combines the warmth and nostalgia of traditional British pubs that many love with the high energy of social darts where everyone has a chance to win, whether an expert or beginner.

“These are fast and furious exciting multi-player games in mind-blowing augmented reality. It is truly reinventing darts for the 21st century.”

The augmented reality darts involve an autoscoring system that projects all gameplay graphics, targets and scores directly into the board itself.

The aim is to engage players of all ages and ability and it is designed to bring people together in a new way that traditional darts cannot achieve.

There will be three darts boards along with two shuffle boards incorporated into the project with the system supplied by 501 Darts.

Mr Ball said that it is the first time that the Boardwalk Bar and Grill has undergone a major refurbishment since 2009.

Formerly the Cockney Pride Pub, it was one of the first areas of the pier that was renovated after the Ball family bought the attraction.

Mr Ball added: “The majority of the work will be carried out by our own in-house team and the idea is to give it a significant facelift and freshen it up.

“The floor has already been completed and the whole scheme will take around six weeks with the bar remaining open throughout.”

These works follow the £4 million development in 2018 which saw an indoor and outdoor adventure golf course over two levels built, as well as a children’s soft play area.

Further improvements have involved a large versatile events space for the winter months and an enlarged amusement arcade with more than 50 new gaming machines.

For more information on Clacton Pier visit clactonpier.co.uk/.