Building the UK’s Largest Interactive Strike Arena
Creating Family-Friendly Destinations Building the UK's Largest Interactive Strike Arena Drive Membership & Retention
August 2022. A Thames Water main burst floods GLL Sobell Leisure Centre in Islington, destroying everything on the ground floor. For most facilities, this would spell disaster. For Sobell, it became the catalyst for transformation.
The old ice rink had been underperforming for years. When the floodwaters receded, GLL made a bold choice: build something extraordinary.
Today, where that tired ice rink once stood, a towering four-level beast is reaching 15 metres into the air; the UK’s largest Interactive Strike Arena. Picture 120 interactive light pods scattered across a multi-tier labyrinth of climbing walls, rope bridges, and heart-pounding challenges. Players race against the clock, chasing their colour through obstacles that test agility, speed, and nerve.
The engineering feat is staggering: 2,590 metres of steel framework, 186 metres of LED tube lighting that pulses with every game, and 517 metres of extension leads snaking through the structure.
This Strike Arena accommodates up to 150 players simultaneously. Six colour-coded entry lanes create smooth flow even during peak times. Every design decision maximises throughput, safety, and pure adrenaline.
The results? Families now queue for their turn to compete and chase lights through this vertical playground. Visitors stay longer, come back more often, and discover that getting active doesn’t have to feel like exercise. The Strike Arena has become the centrepiece of Sobell’s evolution from flood-damaged facility to flagship family entertainment destination.
GLL didn’t just recover from catastrophe—they set a new standard for how underutilised leisure spaces can become thriving revenue generators. The laughter echoing from 15 metres up tells you everything you need to know.
