Inside UK's 'maddest date night ever' that 'feels like you're in Dubai'

With Valentine's Day just over a week away, couples across Merseyside will be looking for 'date night' ideas to mark the special occasion. And while many couples opt for the traditional options of a romantic meal, drinks or a cinema trip, there is another option that's worth the hour-long drive from Liverpool.

The Flower Bowl Entertainment centre is located on Garstang Road in Preston, and it's currently enjoying something of a moment on social media, thanks to the TikTok app where creators have been posting their experiences of visiting the sprawling activity centre. Combining everything from curling to crazy golf and golf simulations to a luxury cinema, you could spend days inside this cavernous space and still not run out of things to do.

Liverpool influencer Morgan Bold, who was named one of the ECHO's '30 under 30' young people to watch, recently shared her experiences of visiting the Flower Bowl, and said it was an ideal date night location. Posting to her huge online following, the 28-year-old said: "Last night we genuinely felt like we were in a simulation, we were like 'what is going on?' It's the maddest place ever. The minute we walked in, we were like... this is somewhere you'd see in Dubai or Universal."

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She added: "I can't even describe it, it's so mad. Inside there's a full-blown pub where you can get food, there's an ice cream bar, there's a coffee shop, there's a luxury cinema, there's bowling, crazy pool, shuffleboard... there is so much stuff in this place."

And the list of activities doesn't stop there. The Flower Bowl boasts curling, a cinema, bowling, crazy golf, crazy pool, a golf simulator, a visual reality ride and shuffleboard. There are also a number of dining options, including The Ocean fish and chip restaurant, Oasis coffee bar and Knickerbockers ice cream.

The Flower Bowl is also home to Blooms Restaurant, with the venue's website stating: "Your world will turn upside down when you enter our quirky floral-themed restaurant which has a florist shop on the ceiling." Inside the extravagantly decorated restaurant, diners can order a selection of small plates, pizza flatbreads and classic mains. There's also a kids menu.

The venue's TripAdvisor page describes it as "Lancashire's newest and most unusual leisure venue, offering a range of activities under one grass covered roof [...] with a unique mix of Vegas razzmatazz and floral art." One review posted to the site said: "Visited the Oceans fish and chip restaurant here and the fish was as white as [a set of] turkey teeth, it was beautiful. The best fish and chips I’ve had in years without question. Then the desserts… fantastic too! Great portion sizes and really nice. Together with the very polite staff, I would definitely return."

Another review said: "Myself and my partner have always wanted to attend the Flower Bowl, we finally did and it did not disappoint. You walk through the door and are instantly hit by the beautiful trees that are all lit up and a beautiful fragrance emanating through the main foyer. Out of all the activities we only played crazy golf and it is truly one of the best mini golf experiences I’ve been to.

"It’s fun, quirky, has lots of different aspects and surprises. Following the golf we had a coffee and a cake whilst watching a curling match between what appeared to be friends. Overall a great place and it’s a shame we didn’t have time to do more. Would 100% recommend to anyone and everyone."

The Flower Bowl Entertainment Centre website has a list of prices and options to pre-book experiences. Visit the website here. Parking at the centre is free and it is open 9.30am to 10.30pm from Sunday to Thursday, and closes slightly later at 10.45pm on Fridays and Saturdays.