Bournemouth Big Weekend

Your weekend, day by day

1. 1

   Day 1

   

   Driving experience (tanks, rally, off-road)

   From about 13:00 · 2 hours

   Arrival day. Most groups drive down and check in, then the driving experience inland: a briefing and a turn each behind the wheel with an instructor alongside. A full, valid driving licence is usually checked on arrival, and nobody drinks beforehand.

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   Bournemouth's driving options are rural. Blindfold 4x4 driving, where the group shouts directions at a blindfolded driver in a 3.5-tonne 4x4, runs at a countryside activity site with a catering van; allow one to two hours. Further afield, ex-army vehicle drives run near Downton, south of Salisbury, and an ex-army armoured personnel carrier drive runs through forest country in Hampshire; both start at 11am or 2pm and need a full driving licence. Off-road buggies do not run from November to March. Arrive sober, as the buggy site turns away anyone who has been drinking.

   You get a briefing, then a set number of laps or a timed slot behind the wheel with an instructor in the passenger seat. Rally means loose surface and sliding; off-road means mud, gradients and crawling; a tank means driving something tracked and crushing a car if the site offers it.

   Each person drives in turn, so there is a lot of standing around watching, which some groups enjoy and some do not. Ask how many laps each and how long the whole thing takes.

   A full, valid driving licence is needed for most of it and will be checked on arrival. Flat shoes, and no drinking beforehand.

   

   Club entry, VIP & booths

   From about 23:00 · 3 hours

   Reserved club entry for the group in the town centre, past the queue on the guest list. Dress codes are enforced on stag groups: no sportswear and no matching shirts, and nobody visibly drunk gets in.

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   Bournemouth's clubs are a short walk from each other in the town centre. The biggest, on Fir Vale Road, has two rooms, VIP booths and table service; guest-list entry on Fridays and Saturdays requires arrival before 11:30pm. A pop club on Old Christchurch Road offers reserved areas with a bottle of spirits, or prosecco and sharing cocktails, with guest-list entry before 11pm. Reserved tables with drinks packages on Yelverton Road take up to ten or 15 per table. Smart casual is the standard, and ID may be asked for.

   Standard entry gets the group past the queue on a guest list, which matters because large male groups are the first ones a door turns away. A booth adds a reserved table, a set number of bottles with mixers and a host who looks after the table.

   Booths are sold on a minimum spend rather than a flat fee at many clubs, so the bottles you order count towards it. Ask what the minimum is and what it includes before you agree to anything.

   Dress code is enforced hard on stag groups. No sportswear, no trainers at some doors, no matching shirts, and nobody visibly drunk gets in regardless of the booking.

2. 2

   Day 2

   

   Gun range shooting

   From about 12:00 · 2 hours

   The shooting-range session inland: a safety brief, then supervised shooting with an instructor on the lane. The rules are strict and everyone must be sober, so it comes before any drinking. The range is outdoors, so dress for the weather.

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   Live-fire shooting near Bournemouth uses .22 calibre rifles, including military-style models, on a purpose-built outdoor range in the countryside rather than an indoor lane. Expect around 40 rounds each, one-to-one tuition and a session of one to two hours depending on group size. The site has a catering van, with a barbecue in warmer months, and fancy dress is welcome if the safety kit fits over it. It is often combined with axes, crossbows and buggies over three and a half to four hours. A zombie-themed version adds tomahawks and crossbows over up to four hours. Save the drinking for the evening.

   A range officer covers safety and handling, then you shoot a set number of rounds across a few different weapons at paper targets. An instructor stays with each shooter on the lane. Targets are usually yours to keep.

   Ranges are strict and the rules are not flexible: sober, identification checked at the door, and anyone who does not follow an instruction is removed. That is what makes it safe.

   Closed-toe shoes and a top with a high neckline, because spent casings are hot. Eye and ear protection are provided.

3. 3

   Day 3

   

   Group dinner & restaurant

   From about 19:30 · 1.5 hours

   The booked group dinner, with one table for the whole group. Confirm final numbers and any dietary needs with the restaurant ahead of the day. If the group is heading out afterwards, dress for the bars rather than the restaurant.

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   Group dining in Bournemouth is easiest close to the town centre and the pier, where everything is within a walk of the main hotels. One well-placed option on Westover Road, about seven minutes from the pier, does reserved tables with sourdough pizza and a cider tasting board for groups of six or more. Burger-and-a-pint deals are also common if the group wants a quick meal before the bars. For a big table, collect everyone's choices in advance so the food arrives together.

   A restaurant taking a large group will usually want a set menu, a deposit and final numbers a few days ahead. That is normal and it works in your favour: the food comes out together and the bill is per head rather than an hour of arithmetic.

   Tell them about allergies and anyone who does not eat meat when you confirm the numbers, not on the night.

   Dress code is the restaurant's. If you are heading to a club afterwards, dress for the club, because the restaurant is the softer door.