Lane7 - inside Leeds' most fun new night out

There's a lot of pressure when somewhere new opens in Leeds. Particularly when you've heard people talking about it for weeks before you've even stepped through the door.

But within about 30 seconds of arriving at Lane7, we got it.

The second you walk in, it feels like you've left Leeds and stepped into another world. The lighting, the music, the huge immersive spaces and the incredible interiors immediately make it feel different to anything else in the city. It's cool without trying too hard and somehow manages to feel both huge and intimate at the same time.

We started the evening on the bowling lanes, and even bowling felt like it had been given a serious upgrade.

Forget everything you think of when you picture a traditional bowling alley. The lanes are immersive, high-energy and genuinely exciting to play on, with smoke effects pouring down the lane whenever someone lands a strike. Tune after tune was blaring out throughout the lanes which brings top notch energy and really fires you up for your bowls.

One of our favourite things about the whole experience was being able to order food and drinks directly to the lane. No leaving the game. No queueing at the bar. Frozen margaritas rocked up at our alley in between strikes which is just everything you want from a fun night out, no? Speaking of those frozen margs, they seriously good and went down too easy.

The food was exactly what you want from a night like this. We ordered loaded nachos, cheesy garlic bread and hot dogs to share which was all really tasty and made us feel like kids again in the best way.

Once we'd finished bowling, we wandered into the arcade area and pretty much lost all concept of time. One minute you're tearing around Rainbow Road on Mario Kart, the next you're trying to survive a zombie apocalypse on a shooting game while insisting you're definitely better than everyone else. Throw in air hockey, racing simulators and countless other arcade games and there really is something for everyone and hours to spend enjoying all the fun there is on offer.

We also spotted Playground, Lane7's virtual reality gaming experience, which looked incredibly popular throughout the evening. Combining immersive VR technology with competitive gameplay, it's another reason people are flocking to the new venue. We didn't get chance to try it ourselves this time, but after watching groups laughing, shouting and fully throwing themselves into the experience, it's firmly on our list for next visit.

Just when we thought we'd seen everything, we headed downstairs. And somehow it got even better.

The atmosphere shifts slightly. Rich red velvet interiors, mood lighting and a slightly more grown-up vibe makes it feel like a hidden late-night hangout tucked beneath all the action upstairs.

We headed straight for a game of pool and enjoyed people watching as they battled it out over mini golf, darts and beer pong. Everywhere you look, something is happening.

That's probably what impressed us most about Lane7. There isn't just one thing to do, it's not somewhere you turn up, play a game of bowling and leave an hour later. It's the sort of place where you arrive at 7pm, glance at your phone at some point and realise it's somehow nearly midnight.

Whether you're planning a date night, birthday celebration, work social or simply looking for something different to do with friends, it works. Some people will come for the bowling, others for the arcades, some for the cocktails and some for the competitive chaos.The reality is you'll probably end up doing all of it.

Leeds has welcomed a lot of exciting openings recently, but Lane7 feels like something genuinely different. Fun, immersive, brilliantly designed and the kind of place you'll already be planning your return visit to before you've even left.

Find out more and book online.