A new bowling alley has been given the green light to open in Salford Quays after coming to an agreement with locals over noise concerns. Residents of Imperial Point and Sovereign Point apartment blocks attended a licensing meeting at Salford Civic Centre, fearing that a new Hollywood Bowl venue would cause 'sleepless nights'. The venue is set to move into the upper floors of The Quays as part of a £16m overhaul of the struggling shopping centre.
Details of the Development
The Hollywood Bowl conversion will cost around £4m, replacing 'poor quality offices' and 'retail space, some of which has been empty for ten years' on the mezzanine floor of the outlet. The firm applied for a new premises licence from Salford Council for between 9am and 1am the following day, including the sale of alcohol and provision of entertainment.
Local resident Michael Parker, who has lived next to the shopping centre since 2003, asked the firm to consider the impact of noise on their neighbours. The pensioner admitted to being a huge ten pin bowling fan himself and hoped to be a customer of the bowling alley in future. 'I was one of the originals [in the Quays] when there wasn't much building around except the Lowry and the outlet,' Mr Parker said. 'I face the plaza and I love it there. But the concern I have is that the Lowry plaza acts like an acoustic bowl that traps and enlarges sound.'
Impact on Residents
He asked the firm to consider 'closing earlier' or closing the Plaza-facing entrance so customers are funnelled through the car park when the bowling alley closes late. Mr Parker added he was pleased to see investment into the outlet, which he says 'over the last ten years has seemed to be moving only in one direction – into going bust'.
Other residents explained the housing around the plaza had suffered several years of noise disturbance from the 'locally notorious' Lime Bar, which closed down in 2023, and did not wish to see a repeat.
Agreement Reached
A legal representative for the firm said that noise from the bowling alley itself would be 'negligible' due to acoustic panelling, and that unlike the bar, only seven per cent of Hollywood Bowl's income comes from the sale of drinks. 'People are now looking for competitive socialising rather than sitting down and drinking pint after pint,' said Darryl Lewis, the managing director of Hollywood Bowl. 'Our focus is very much on the bowling.'
The bowling boss agreed to reduce the opening hours on Fridays and Saturdays to 12 midnight, with the exception of New Year's Eve. The amended hours were approved by Salford's licensing committee, with an advisory suggesting the outlet, owned by Peel Retail & Leisure, look at the possibility of closing the Plaza entrance early if possible. The transformation can now begin, with the alley estimated to open in 2028.
