Prepare to be bowled over as a new bowling alley gears up to launch in Glasgow.

According to the newshounds at Glasgow Live, a new bowling alley is taking shape in the former Tiger Tiger on Glassford Street.

We are told that it is the brainchild of Ian McColm who is also the man behind the 5pm fave, Tiki Bar and Kitsch Inn on Bath Street.

Aiming to open by the end of the summer, Bowlarama will boast more than four full-sized bowling lanes. Open from noon until 3am, it will also have a cocktail bar, restaurant and a dance space. The main pic, taken from Bowlarama's Facebook, shows what the venue will look like.

Ian told Glasgow Live that he had been inspired by the recent, growing popularity of boutique bowling alleys in England and figured that if Manchester and London liked 'em then Glasgow would too.

Retro revival

Bowling alleys are not the only retro sport/activity/entertainment which is benefiting from a recent revival in popularity.

The last few years have seen something of a boom in venues featuring a new wave in crazy golf, darts, table tennis and even axe-throwing.

Admittedly axe-throwing is maybe stretching the retro sport label but you get the idea.

It is all part of a growing trend: competitive socialising.

Wittily named brands such as Swingers (urban golf) and Flight Club (darts) are capitalising on the trend.

The idea is that, unlike their Gen X or Gen Y parents, young people are less and less convinced that a good night out is simply a matter of having a few drinks and a blether with your mates.

Young people backing off booze

A survey released late last year indicated that a third of under 24-year-olds didn't drink at all and that binge drinking rates had decreased from 27% to 18%.

Of course, that doesn't mean that alcohol is going to vanish from the social scene in ten years time. However, it does indicate that, for a younger cohort, the importance of alcohol to a good night out is decreasing.

A growing proportion of young people want a night out to provide a memorable experience rather than a night they either can't remember or would rather forget.

Hence the boom in places like Bowlarama.