Format of a session
Great question! All of our sessions are 70 minutes long and take place on a lane consisting of two targets, each lane fits up to 10 players. Upon arriving you’ll be greeted by a friendly instructor and once you’ve signed in it’s time for the safety talk. Listen up and learn how to throw axes, in a safe and fun way. Then it’s time for the fun stuff!
How the session goes down:
- We teach you how to sling an axe like a boss, giving group instruction then brief individual coaching to hone your technique.
- Then once you’re happily smashing targets we’ll throw you straight into a tournament.
- We crown the tournament winner and celebrate with everyone else.
- Time allowing, we will teach you some trick shots. Ever thrown two axes at once before?
Making a booking
What is a single social lane ticket?
Perfect for smaller groups or couples, a social lane ticket is a single ticket for one player. If you don’t quite have enough friends for a full lane of 10 (who does?!) social lane tickets are the option for you!
As all of our lanes fit 10 players it is likely you’ll be on the lane with other groups. Fear not, our instructors are great at getting everyone involved and soon enough you’ll be cheering, or maybe booing, people who ten minutes earlier were strangers! You may even make some more friends and next time can book a full lane.
What is a lane package?
A lane package is for those groups which are larger or would like to make full use of a private lane or lanes. Each lane can fit up to 10 players, check them out below. All prices can be seen on the booking page.
Exclusive Lanes
– Fancy some privacy? An exclusive lane ensures it’s only your party on the lane, along with a trusty instructor to help you on your way and keep you safe.
Big Shot Lanes
– As well as the exclusivity of the lane, the winner of the tournament will receive a shiny trophy to show off. Feeling peckish? Each player is also entitled to two snacks or drinks each. What a deal!
High Flyer Lanes
– The big one, for those who want the premium Whistle Punks experience. We’ve got the private lane, snacks, drinks and trophy for the winner, but with this package, your group get a box of swagged out Whistle Punks merch, nice!
We have more than 10, can we still get a lane package?
After years of throwing axes, we’ve determined that 10 is the absolute maximum for each lane. If your group is more players than 10 you can purchase an additional lane package or you can purchase all social lane tickets and the venue team will split you across two shared lanes.
Can we book a session outside of the times listed online?
We are able to offer private sessions that are different from the times listed online, with a couple of caveats. These bookings must be for 20 players minimum, charged at peak pricing regardless of the day and we need at least 2 weeks notice. Drop us an email to hello@whistlepunks.com or fill out our Corporate Enquiry form.
Can I book tickets for today?
All online tickets are taken off sale 2 hours before the session start time. We always recommend booking in advance, our sessions often sell out and we don’t want you to have axe regret!
Can I pay on the door?
You can but we don’t recommend it, booking online is the only way to guarantee your space. Axe throwing is great and as such our tickets can often sell out. Don’t miss your chance to sink axes, book online!
Can I place a deposit or reserve a booking?
We are simple folk at Whistle Punks, we don’t accept deposits or reserve any sessions. Payment is always taken in full upon placing a booking.
What’s your capacity?
Our London venue can fit 50 players, Manchester & Birmingham 40 players and Bristol has rolling sessions every 25 minutes for up to 20 at a time.
I already have a booking
I need to add someone to my booking
We got you covered, just purchase another ticket and fill out the box marked ‘Joining another group?’ with the name of the original booking and our venue team will be able to keep you together. We can only do this if there’s the availability, if not it’s free to spectate! Sadly we aren’t able to allow players to share turns – 1 ticket = 1 player!
I can’t make the session, can I get a refund?
We aren’t able to offer refunds for cancellations sadly. We ask our players to have their ducks in line before making a booking to ensure they don’t need to cancel.
I can’t make the session, can I reschedule?
We aren’t able to move a booking once it’s been locked in. Make sure you’re able to attend before you book, we like to see everyone throwing axes and having a great time!
I haven’t received my booking confirmation, help!
You should receive your booking confirmation as soon as your booking is placed. We would say check your spam folder, but we wouldn’t want to insult your intelligence. Hit us up at hello@whistlepunks.com and we can send your confirmation to you.
Can I arrive late?
In a word, no. We ask all of our guests to arrive 10-15 minutes early to ensure they’re not late and don’t miss the important safety talk. If you are more than 10 minutes late to the session Whistle Punks reserves the right to disqualify you from play. Lateness affects the experience of everyone else on your lane.
Safety
Is it safe?
Our sessions take place under highly controlled (but still fun) conditions. Axes are only ever thrown down empty, enclosed lanes under the watchful eye of an experienced instructor. As a result of rigorous testing, our axes and flooring have both been designed to reduce any unwanted bounces. Safety is our highest priority and we are continually reviewing and updating our practices to prevent any dangerous situations before they occur.
If you would like to read more about our commitment to safety go here.
Can we drink alcohol beforehand?
Players who aren’t able to throw safely on the lanes won’t be allowed to play.
Also, drugs are for mugs, so the same goes for illegal substances!
Is this for 18’s and over only?
This is adult only fun, not in a weird way. Those under the age of 18 aren’t permitted entry to the venue.
Can I play if I’m pregnant?
Axe throwing is a relatively low-intensity activity so there is no reason why you can not play. If you have any concerns please consult a doctor. If you are in the third trimester of your pregnancy, or up to 6-months post-partum, we strongly suggest speaking with your midwife or doctor before booking.
Also, congratulations!
What should I wear?
No open-toed shoes. We love flip flops as much as the next person (or probably more), but they won’t cut it on our throwing lanes! Pro tip: flat shoes are best for throwing in.
Stay comfy. Wear whatever you like, but if it restricts your arm movement it’s gonna mess with your aim and we’re not giving you pity points for that. We might give you points for fancy-dress though…
On the day
Is the venue pet-friendly?
All of our venues are strictly for humans only. No matter how heckin’ cute your doggo is!
Can we wear fancy dress?
Oh yes, you most certainly can. We only ask you to keep in mind our other guests, if your costume is offensive or causing distress to other players you’ll be asked to remove it.
Do you have parking?
We don’t have on-site parking, the nearest car parks are:
Our London venue has a car park about 10 mins walk at SW8 2AZ – £8 for two hours.
Manchester venue has an NCP about 10 mins walk at M3 3BE – £7.50 for two hours.
Birmingham venue has an NCP about 10 mins walk at B1 1DW – £6 for two hours.
Is it OK for someone to spectate?
It’s absolutely free to spectate and you don’t need a ticket. Please note, spectators can catch a case of axe envy!
Can we get food and drink at the venue?
In our Bristol venue, we have partnered with the mighty Pizzarova to bring you some of the finest pizza in Brizzle. We also have a wide range of canned beer, cider and wine.
Our other 3 venues serve a wide range of snacks, crisps and nuts etc. We also offer a range of drinks such as Brew Dog Nanny State as well as other cold drinks plus tea and coffee. We don’t offer sit down meals, just stand up axe throwing.
Gift certificates
How do I redeem my gift certificate?
Enter your voucher code during the final Payment stage of booking by clicking the ‘Pay by… Gift Certificate’
Clicking on this will display a pop-up window into which you can enter the Gift Certificate Number, or Code (including the dashes). This is the long series of characters, beginning with a ‘G’ beneath the barcode on the gift certificate PDF.
Click the Apply button to deduct the invoice total from the gift certificate balance. And that’s it, the booking is complete. If there is any balance remaining it can be used at a later date.
If the gift certificate balance was not enough to cover the whole transaction amount, you can make a payment via credit card for the rest. You are able to use more than one gift voucher to clear the balance of a booking.
My voucher is in date but says ‘INVALID’ when entered.
OK, we get this one a lot and it’s normally because the code is being entered in the wrong place.
Enter your gift certificate code in the very last payment screen. Do not enter your code in the box marked ‘Apply code or voucher’ – this is for discount codes.
My gift certificate expires today, can I book a session for tomorrow?
You totally can, the expiry date only refers to when the booking must be placed by.
Corporate hire
Can we book the whole venue?
Yes, the whole venue can be yours by purchasing all available tickets/lane packages for a previously empty session. Alternatively, you can request a private session outside of the advertised the times. Please fill out this form and one of our team will get back to you within 24 hours.
Can we hire the venue for longer than one session?
Drop us an email, we are a friendly bunch and we can sort something special out just for you.