NAMCO Funscape is the bowling and arcade hall in The Orient, the Trafford Centre's food and leisure end. It has 18 lanes, more than 100 arcade games, dodgems the operator describes as some of Europe's fastest, and an American pool table. It opens at 10am and runs late every night, until 11pm Sunday to Thursday and midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, so it works as the reward after a morning of being dragged round the shops.
Bowling suits small children better than you might expect. There are ramps to push the ball down, lighter balls and bumpers, and NAMCO says children from about two can have a go, though it leaves that call to you. Anyone 16 or under counts as a junior and has to be with an adult. Shoe hire is in the game price. The dodgems have a 1.1m height limit for drivers and passengers, with an adult over 18 riding along.
The cheap way in is Early Bird bowling: £7 a person a game, 10am to 1pm, seven days a week, though bank and school holidays may be excluded. The Family Activity Day is £17 each for a game of bowling, a round at Paradise Island's adventure golf near the Odeon and three game tokens, booked by phone on 0161 749 1111 between Monday and 4pm on Friday. The catch is the arcade. Three tokens go quickly, and more than 100 machines are hard to walk past.
What it costs: Early Bird bowling is £7 a person a game, 10am to 1pm daily; bank holidays and school holidays may be excluded. The Family Activity Day is £17 a person for a game of bowling, a round of adventure golf and 3 game tokens, booked by phone between Monday and 4pm Friday. Shoe hire is included in the game price.
Worth knowing: Dodgems: over 1.1m, adult rides along.
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