Brisbane… are you ready to step up to the Oche?
Gather your squad, grab your cocktail and put down your phone, this new bar asks you to go analogue, and hit the bullseye. Welcome to Oche Brisbane.
December 6 marks the Australian debut of a completely unique venue that will redefine social experiences; and it’s happening in Brisbane.
Oche Brisbane wraps the heritage game of darts in a social experience that is undeniably 2020 and beyond. Guests are invited to put down their phones and share 85 action-packed minutes playing darts with their squad, fuelled by a wonder of share menus thoughtfully crafted from local produce by chef consultant and former Head Chef of Gerard’s Bistro, the acclaimed food whisperer Ben Williamson. Designed of course specifically to be eaten with that one free hand!
Cocktails paying tribute to Brisbane are officially paired with the menu, sitting alongside a bangin’ beer and wine list. All this, as well as a stunningly designed outdoor terrace and two dedicated bars – one being a seasonal sipper starring local brews – within the heritage brick walls of the beautiful 115-year-old Old Flour Mill Building in Constance Street, Fortitude Valley. In all, the venue will be able to welcome 360 customers!
Now that’s a bullseye for Brisbane!
But there’s more. Oche Brisbane marks the official Australian debut for the business, after having its spectacular launch in Oslo, Norway in 2018. The Queensland capital will be the launch pad for openings in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide.
But first to Brisbane!
Oche Brisbane is at home in 700sqm across two floors of the Old Flour Mill Building in Fortitude Valley. Managing Director at Oche Brisbane is Dafydd Evans who boasts a remarkable career in marketing and business development working with some of the world’s biggest brand names. Welsh-born Evans has officially made his home in Brisbane… having a beautiful Australian fiancée will do that!
“Oche signals the renaissance of the analogue social experience, where the phone is no longer the centre of the universe and instead real-life experiences and relationships are given the priority and attention they have long been denied,” said Evans. “We want Oche Brisbane customers to talk, play, taste, sip, laugh and connect, to engage in an age-old game that’s been re-skinned and modernised, supported by a cool checklist of experiences – cocktails, local brews, food to suit, chill tunes, a venue that could tell a thousand tales, and the opportunity to get a little competitive at the same time!”
That’s right, at Oche Brisbane, you’re encouraged to play with your food.
“Our menu will feature food that’s easily eaten – and don’t think a top five of deep-fried offerings. Our menu will star beautifully crafted, really tasty food, designed to be shared and loved by all.”
Local brews and brewers are championed at Oche Brisbane with the Seasonal Bar showcasing a different local brew master, wine maker or distiller every month. In December, the Seasonal Bar will be the home of Green Beacon, with following month takeovers released soon.
Evans wanted to create Brisbane’s first “environmentally considerate venue” – there is no cutlery at Oche, minimal coverings of the beautiful brickwork, local produce and brews are given precedence, waste is carefully disposed of, sustainability across operations is a priority and of course the menus more than cater for vegans and vegetarians.
Oche Brisbane opens on Friday December 6; and anyone can play (it’s an over 18 venue) – singles, couples, and groups. It’s the perfect Dart Night, oops, we mean Date Night (!!), is great for Christmas parties, celebrations, milestone markings (terrific for divorce parties too FYI!), but mostly it’s simply the coolest new bar in Brisbane! Oche’s electronic gamification of traditional dartboards have dozens of games built into them, scoring automatically, and some will even talk to you!
Oche Brisbane
Opens Friday December 6. TAKING BOOKINGS NOW!
111 Constance St, Fortitude Valley
Web: www.ochedart.com Bookings: [email protected]
Phone: 0421 491 011
A brief history of the word ‘oche’
A few theories abound when it comes to the origins of the dart term ‘oche’. Some say it is derived from the Old Flemish meaning ‘a notch’. The second theory is a little less hygienic. The infamous News of the World paper sponsored darts competitions from the 1920’s and used the word ‘hockey’ for the throwing line in their tournament rules. ‘Hockey’ is derived from the old English ‘hocken’ meaning ‘to spit’. You see, spitting competitions were held in public bars and it was the ‘hockey line’ which determined the distance a player, standing with back to the dartboard, could spit. Gross. We have conjured our own meaning: “where the fabulous people of Brisbane stand to throw their dart and impress, or otherwise, their friends!”
A brief history of darts
It is said that darts have been played since the reign of King Henry VIII. It seems he fancied the idea that his archers practice their skills constantly so they were sharp for battle and instead of shooting, they would throw their arrows to improve their accuracy. The target was an overturned wine or beer barrel and later a crosscut from a tree trunk was used. Once the wood had aged and cracked, the age–rings made way for score markers. Henry VIII’s soldiers would show off their skills at drinking establishments (sounds fair to us) and word spread across the seas and by the end of the 19th century the game had become the modern version we know today.
By the early 1900’s, legislation prohibited ‘games of chance’ in pubs but thanks to an infamous legal challenge by Leeds publican, Foot Anakin, a judge ruled that darts was actually a ‘game of skill’ which ultimately boosted the game’s notoriety and led to competition in pubs. Every pub had a darts team. The game reached great popularity with females too – especially after Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) played a game in 1937. The first darts televised was broadcast in 1962 and during the 1970s and 1980s coverage skyrocketed with major tournaments being broadcast and dart ‘celebrities’ like Bobby George, Leighton Rees and John Lowe became household names. The game has soared in popularity with technology, with Oche Brisbane the shining beacon of what’s now possible!
