Lakeside Leisure Complex

The Lakeside Leisure Complex is a hotel, conferencing, entertainment and associated leisure complex in Frimley Green in west Surrey, England. It hosted the open/men's and women's BDO World Darts Championship every January from 1986 to 2019.^[1]

History

Bob Potter OBE in 2017

The complex was established in 1972, when Bob Potter bought Wharfenden House and the surrounding grounds and lake.^[2] He soon doubled the hall to 1,000 seats principally for hosting comedians and musicians, including North American and internationally acclaimed acts. Lakeside was almost completely destroyed in a fire in November 1978,^[3] but was subsequently rebuilt, reopening in October the following year.^[4]

During the 25th year of hosting the World Darts Championship, in 2010 the lake had largely iced over by 7 January. That day the body of a man, a hotel guest for the competition week, was found.^[5] Landowner-managers, Bob Potter Leisure Limited, were fined £85,000 for health and safety violations.^[6]

Bob Potter died on 14 April 2023, at the age of 94.^[7]

Events

The Lakeside became the venue of the World Darts Championship in 1986.^[8][9] The Club sponsored the event from 2004 to 2019. It has hosted the new WDF World Darts Championship since 2022.^[10]

The venue has hosted acts such as Tommy Cooper, Morecambe and Wise, Sammy Davis Jr, Frankie Vaughan and Bob Monkhouse.^[11][12]

The 'Small Business Bureau Conference', held in 1987, was claimed by the organisers to be the largest business conference in Europe.^[13]

Facilities

Grand venue

The largest venue is the Main Cabaret Suite which has a capacity of 1,170 with conference and banqueting facilities.

Others

• the Canal Suite (capacity 350)
• the State Suite (capacity 100)
• Bob's Bar
• the Sharman Suite
• the Wine Bar

It is a mixed members' club, hotel and selection of restaurants with snooker, pool, darts, ten-pin bowling, squash, bars, an events nightclub and well-equipped gym. Near the village, boats can be hired for day trips along the Basingstoke Canal. The borough and adjoining Wentworth/Sunningdale area has a number of golf courses.

Heyday as a club

Darts commentator and personality Sid Waddell looked back on the early darts era when Lakeside was "arguably the best club in Britain":

Tom Jones, Jim Davidson and other stars packed the joint, while Margaret Thatcher herself said it was one of her favourite places for Tory jollies."^[14]

Potter claimed that he and his facilities inspired Peter Kay's comedic business saga Phoenix Nights, whose character is named Brian Potter.^[15]