Darts fans showed a huge interest in the latest in social entertainment tech at Clacton Pier.
Augmented reality darts are hitting the right target with fans of the sport following the recent world darts championship.
The competition and a recent change in the age limit have helped increase the popularity with last weekend being the busiest so far.
The system was introduced last year at the pier and has enjoyed steady interest with its multi-player games for beginners and experts alike.
AR darts have taken off over the past months with teenage darts sensation Luke Littler, who captivated a whole new audience with his performance at Alexandra Palace.
Billy Ball, director of Clacton Pier, said: “We have started to see a significant rise in numbers playing reality darts and I think it is down to two factors,” he added.
“There was previously an age limit of 16 plus but after consulting 501 Darts, who supplied the equipment, we now allow all ages provided they are accompanied by an adult. This has opened up the game for more families to enjoy together.
“However, I am sure that the Luke Littler effect – and more people being drawn towards the sport after the 16-year-old made it through to the world final where he lost to Luke Humphries – has had a part to play.
“It seems we introduced it at just the right time to benefit from a surge in popularity from the recent world championships.”
AR darts involve an autoscoring system which projects the gameplay graphics, targets and scores directly into the board itself.
Clacton Pier offers three separate lanes at the Boardwalk Bar and Grill, which underwent a £130,000 facelift and includes now two shuffleboards.
Lanes and other attractions can be booked online and need at least one participant aged over 18.
For further information visit https://clactonpier.co.uk/book-online/.
Besides offering a range of attractions, the pier will host a series of firework displays from March to November.
The line-up will include summer holiday dates which were trialled for the first time three years ago and have now become a regular fixture.
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