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created as an after-dinner parlour game and played at first
with wine corks and cigar box tops.
As Breeden explains: “Joe asked, ‘Where exactly is
the venue in Holborn?’. We said, ‘Hatton Gardens.’ So we
got Google Maps out and, after a bit of searching, a look
appeared on his face. ‘I cannot believe it,’ he said. ‘This
is the exact point where my grandfather invented and
trademarked the game.’ It was a massive moment for Joe
–
he shed a tear and it was really emotional. I can’t ever
imagine I’ll have a bigger coincidence in my life.”
At the same time, momentum for table tennis
was building. In New York, SpiN, the original ping-pong
bar, had set the precedent; while over in Berlin, the
trend for having a knockabout alongside a stiff drink
had become second nature to many. In 2010, the German
capital even launched an five-night event in celebration
of the pastime. Called Pongress, it included exhibitions,
debates and, of course, plenty of opportunities for party
people to have a game.
BOUNCE TO THE BEAT
01
(
Previous page) Bounce
co-founders Dov Penzik
(
left) and Adam Breeden
02
A game of ping pong in
London’s Bounce
03
Early play was popular
with both men and women
04
A plaque in Bounce
attests to its location as
the home of the sport
05
Old versions of the game
on display in Bounce
06
The venue is busy virtually
every night
07
Bounce’s bar is as popular
as the tables
08
Ping pong began as a 19th
century after-dinner game
Hot nightspots
to knock
around in
Dr Pong, Berlin
Credited as kick-starting the ping-
pong revival in Berlin back in 2004,
this small bar in Prenzlauer Berg is
the
place to show off your skills.
drpong.net
Derriere, Paris
Head to this quirky home-like
restaurant in the Marais for good
food and a mid-meal game of
ping pong on the mid-room table.
derriere-resto.com
Cuckoo Bar, Belfast
The popular bar is especially busy
on Tuesdays, when it holds a
weekly tournament. Prizes come in
the shape of a bar tab.
facebook.com/cuckoobelfast
»
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B U S I N E S S
L O N D O N
