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Ten Pin Bowling in Cornwall

Dedicated bowling centres, family leisure parks, and a few hotel lanes worth knowing about.

Cornwall isn't exactly overflowing with bowling alleys — this is a county built around beaches, moorland and coast paths rather than multiplex-style entertainment complexes — but there are a handful of solid options for a rainy afternoon or an evening out, spread from Bude in the north to St Austell in the south.

Truro Bowl, in the county's only city, is the most central option, with eight lanes, a bar and a 90-seat restaurant a short walk from the city centre. Ozzell Bowl in St Austell describes itself as Cornwall's number one ten pin bowling alley, and adds a soft play area, pool tables and arcade machines to the mix. In the far north, The Venue in Bude pairs its bowling lanes with a multi-level soft play centre, making it a popular wet-weather stop for families staying on that stretch of coast.

For a bigger day out built around bowling rather than just including it, Trethorne Leisure Park near Launceston combines eight lanes with dodgems, an animal barn, crazy golf and an extensive indoor and outdoor play area — making it more of a destination attraction than a straightforward alley. Around Newquay, a handful of coastal hotels — including Hotel California and Porth Lodge Hotel — have smaller in-house lanes, generally four-lane setups aimed primarily at guests and party bookings; these are noted further down with the caveat that hours and availability are worth checking directly before travelling.

If Cornwall's own alleys feel a bit modest, Plymouth — just across the Tamar — has a considerably bigger option worth knowing about if you're based in east Cornwall; more on that below.

One thing worth flagging: if you've come here looking for outdoor lawn or crown green bowls rather than ten pin bowling, that's a different sport entirely, run through Bowls Cornwall's network of local clubs — more on that below too.

Before you go

  • Booking ahead is strongly recommended everywhere, and essential during school holidays and weekends — some smaller venues only take bowling bookings by phone rather than online.
  • Bowling shoes are provided at all the venues below; comfortable socks are worth bringing regardless.
  • Several venues offer party packages for children's birthdays — worth booking well ahead in peak season.
  • Opening hours vary by day and season — always check the specific venue's own website or call ahead before travelling.

Find a bowling alley near you

Map pin locations are approximate. Confirm exact addresses via the links below before travelling.

Dedicated Bowling Centres

These are standalone alleys where bowling is the main event.

Family & soft play

Ozzell Bowl

Priory Car Park, St Austell, PL25 5AB

Billed as Cornwall's number one ten pin bowling alley. Also has a soft play area (height restrictions apply), food and drink, pool tables, arcade machines and air hockey.

Visit website »

Family & soft play

The Venue

Stucley Road, Bude, EX23 8AR

Ten pin bowling with ramps and gutter rails for all ages and abilities, a fully licensed bar, amusement machines and a multi-level soft play area — North Cornwall's largest indoor family fun zone.

Visit website »

Bowling as Part of a Bigger Day Out

One Cornwall venue builds a whole family attraction around its lanes rather than the other way round.

All-weather attraction

Trethorne Leisure Park

Kennards House, Launceston, PL15 8QE

Eight lanes of computerised ten pin bowling with ramps and rails, alongside dodgems, an animal barn, indoor and outdoor soft play, crazy golf and pedalos. Bowling lanes must be booked by phone rather than online.

Visit website »

Newquay Area: Hotel-Based Lanes

There's no large standalone bowling centre in Newquay itself, but a few nearby hotels have smaller in-house alleys, typically four lanes and geared towards guests, parties and evening bookings. We've listed them with a note of caution — details below are drawn from hotel and directory sites that weren't always recently updated, so it's worth calling ahead to confirm current opening times and non-guest availability.

Hotel-based — confirm ahead

Hotel California

Pentire Crescent, Newquay, TR7 1PU

A four-lane in-house alley offering glow-in-the-dark computerised bowling, with a grill and licensed bar attached. Popular for parties, stag/hen bookings and evenings out.

Visit website »

Hotel-based — confirm ahead

Porth Lodge Hotel

Porth Bean Road, Newquay

A four-lane in-house alley, with hotel residents able to bowl free before noon. Attached bar and restaurant.

Details via hotel directory listings — no current official site confirmed.

Hotel-based — confirm ahead

Atlantic Lanes

Trevarrian Holiday Park, Mawgan Porth, Newquay, TR8 4AQ

A four-lane alley with computerised scoring and a licensed bar, on the site of Trevarrian Holiday Park just beyond Watergate Bay. Has historically hosted Cornwall's county selection tournament. Opening hours are seasonal.

Contact via Trevarrian Holiday Park.

Looking for lawn bowls instead?

If it's outdoor crown green or flat green lawn bowls you're after rather than an indoor ten pin alley, that's a different sport with its own extensive network of clubs across Cornwall, including in towns not covered above such as Camborne, Redruth, Helston, Bodmin and Liskeard. Bowls Cornwall » lists local clubs and how to get involved.

Just Over the Border: Plymouth

If Cornwall's alleys aren't cutting it, Plymouth — a short hop across the Tamar Bridge or Torpoint Ferry — has a much bigger option. It's in Devon rather than Cornwall, but worth knowing about for anyone in Saltash, Torpoint or the Rame Peninsula.

Devon — not Cornwall

Tenpin Plymouth (Barbican)

Barbican Leisure Park, Plymouth, PL4 0LG

A large 26-lane venue next to the Vue cinema at Barbican Leisure Park, with an arcade, pool tables and food and drink. Considerably bigger than anything in Cornwall, and open into the evening most nights.

Visit website »

Frequently Asked Questions

The main dedicated bowling centre is Ozzell Bowl in St Austell. Trethorne Leisure Park near Launceston has 8 lanes as part of a wider family attraction, and The Venue in Bude combines bowling with a large soft play area. A few Newquay-area hotels, including Hotel California and Porth Lodge Hotel, also have small in-house alleys.

Booking is strongly recommended at every venue, and essential during school holidays and weekends. Some venues, such as Trethorne Leisure Park, only take bowling bookings by phone rather than online.

This guide covers ten pin bowling alleys. Cornwall also has a large number of separate outdoor crown green and flat green lawn bowls clubs, run through Bowls Cornwall, which is an entirely different sport played on grass rather than an indoor lane.

Yes. The Venue in Bude and Trethorne Leisure Park near Launceston both combine ten pin bowling with a large indoor soft play area, making them good options for family groups with a mix of ages.

There's no large standalone bowling centre directly in Newquay town, but several nearby hotels have small in-house alleys, including Hotel California on Pentire and Atlantic Lanes at Trevarrian Holiday Park near Mawgan Porth. These are smaller, often 4-lane setups, so it's worth calling ahead to check availability.

Yes — Tenpin Plymouth at Barbican Leisure Park has 26 lanes, considerably more than any Cornwall venue, and is a short trip across the Tamar Bridge or Torpoint Ferry. It's in Devon, not Cornwall.

Details above were checked against operators' own websites where available at the time of writing, but opening hours, pricing and lane availability can change without notice, particularly at the smaller hotel-based venues. Always confirm directly with the venue before visiting.

Page last updated: August 2026