Grand Slam of Darts a bullseye for Wolverhampton

It's the only week where the cast of Scooby Doo and men in tights, nylon dresses and curly wigs will walk through Wolverhampton and no-one bats an eyelid.

As people in elaborate fancy dress go to one of the biggest sporting events in the West Midlands, some businesses have picked up extra trade quicker than you can say "180".

Crowds have packed the venue hosting the Grand Slam of Darts, and its success has generated millions of pounds for the area as pubs, restaurants and hotels also feel the impact of the popular tournament.

The sport's heroes are also spotted amongst punters enjoying the city's hospitality.

"Luke Littler popped in here last year, but he couldn't get a drink 'cos he was too young," said Rob Charlesworth, who runs The Swan pub.

"One of the staff said 'oh, a guy off the darts came in earlier'... When he came on the telly, she said 'that's him'."

Figures show the whole city profits as fans from across the country descend on the city, with the economic benefit of last year's event to Wolverhampton adding up to £3.4m - estimated from PDC (Professional Darts Corporation) data.

Business at The Swan, in Tettenhall, is up by about 40 to 50% this week.

There are five screens at the pub, less than a mile away from the sport's stars, and visiting fans' outfits have included bananas, Superman, Batman, Robin and a "couple of vicars".

The City of Wolverhampton Council also revealed that with an extra 1,000 tickets sold for this year's tournament, it was anticipated the city figure would go up for 2025.

"We started exactly a year ago, so our first week we were inundated with darts fans, which took us a bit by surprise," Mr Charlesworth said.

"But we're a bit better prepared for it this year."

Asked if the family business had been extending the hours, Mr Charlesworth replied: "Yeah, we've done some early starts at the weekends, opening at 10 for breakfast cobs.

"We don't usually do food here particularly, but we've been doing some hot food in the day and we're stopping open late."

Sports venue WV Active Aldersley is where the major darts tournament has been taking place for a week - a couple of miles or more from the city's Premier League football club.

The fun of the occasion is not just about watching the action.

Plenty have sported Luke The Nuke tops in honour of the teenage darts sensation and the darts has been played out in a party atmosphere, with many fans enjoying jugs of beer from the bar at the back.

From chants of "stand up if you love the darts" to Sweet Caroline blaring out the speakers, the audio backdrop is, as ever, part of the occasion, while darts fans' banners and players' walk-ons contribute to the spectacle.

These scenes are now very familiar at the venue that has hosted the tournament every year since 2018, apart from 2020 in Coventry over Covid, following a decade at the city's Civic Hall.

Manager of Indian restaurant Penn Tandoori, Imran Ahmed, said business would routinely go up during Grand Slam week as diners new and old come for a meal.

"We always have our own [regular] customers. When they're outsiders, we instantly tell. We interact and find out [the] reason they came," he said.

While people from Birmingham and the Black Country make the relatively short journey for the Wolverhampton excitement, a recent report said overall a record 101.5 million people visited the West Midlands in 2024.

And ahead of Sunday's finale, a senior councillor said the city was "proud to welcome the best darts players in the world and their fantastic, passionate fans who create an amazing, fun atmosphere".

Cabinet member for city development, jobs and skills Chris Burden added: "events of this scale bring about significant direct and indirect economic benefit.

"The fact it is broadcast globally also helps put Wolverhampton on the map as a destination of choice."

Additional reporting from Josh Tranter, Lianna Little and BBC Radio WM's Ed James.

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