The Archertype, an indoor arena in Ardwick on the outskirts of Manchester city centre, is one of Tripadvisor's top-rated attractions in the city, holding a perfect five-star rating. Out of 445 reviews, 441 rate the venue as 'excellent' and four as 'good'. Despite this, it remains a hidden gem, tucked away outside the city centre where it is not easily stumbled upon.
Combat Archery and Gameshow Experience
The venue was launched by Tim Wan in 2017, who quit his job as an account manager in IT sales after discovering combat archery. "I was in a sales job and I kind of felt like my soul was being sucked out, I wanted to do something different with my time," Tim said. "One day I came across the concept of combat archery, or archery tag as it's known in America, and I thought this looks awesome."
At the start, Tim hired out spaces to run sessions before settling on a location in Ardwick, offering around 4,000 square feet. About two thirds of this space is dedicated to combat archery with an arena and training range, while the other third hosts Outplayed the Gameshow!, which has been running for two years. The Archertype has been based here for eight years.
Unique Offerings and Challenges
Combat archery is a crossover between archery and dodgeball, with players using bows and arrows tipped with a giant marshmallow-shaped soft tip. Games last around four to five minutes and involve teamwork, strategy, and energetic movements like dodging, jumping, and crouching. Tim believes The Archertype is the only venue of its type in the UK, as other providers operate outside or on a temporary basis.
"Many people have no idea it existed before, but once they try it they say that's the most fun they've had in ages," Tim said. "Combat archery is our main offering, however we also launched Outplayed the Gameshow two years ago which is similar concept to all those classics you see on TV."
Tim acknowledges the challenges his business faces, including rising rent costs and utility bills. "In the hospitality industry there's businesses closing every week. The hardest thing is rising rent costs, electricity and gas bills, all that stuff has gone up like crazy," he said. "Lockdown was incredibly hard but we managed to survive that."
Family-Friendly Activities and Pricing
Both combat archery and the gameshow experience are family-friendly. Combat archery is for those aged 10 and over, while children from aged six can take part in the gameshow. Prices start from £26 per person for four to five players. Open play sessions are available on the last or first Sunday of the month, starting from £22 per person.
