History tells us that the Vikings loved to party and would almost certainly drink a lot of beer and mead if there was an ax-throwing competition.
Another question is whether their 2022 imitators should follow suit.
Councilors in York next week will have to decide whether customers at the city’s ax-throwing center should be allowed to consume alcohol during the sessions. Police and council officials oppose the idea, citing “the risk of harm to staff and other customers”.
Urban ax throwing has become extremely popular in recent years with the opening of locations in the United Kingdom. Rick Samader of The Guardian, describing the experience, said that “it’s basically darts, with axes”, and participants are trained to throw axes at a wooden board where the pulsation wins the most points.
The owners of Hilt in York, which offers “ax-throwing for ambitious Vikings”, have applied to the city council for a license easing, which will allow it to serve a limit of two alcoholic beverages to each client during a session. Both drinks would not be spirits.
“Alcohol will not be sold to a customer suspected of being intoxicated,” the statement said.
He added: “There will be a limit of one or two drinks depending on how many drinks are purchased with the reservation. In this way, throwing axes will not be able to consume enough to reach a dangerous level of intoxication during the 75 minutes of their session.
This allegation was questioned in the police objection against the councilors. “This is a very bold statement,” said Sergeant Jackie Booth. “What does the candidate classify as a ‘dangerous level’?”
Police say the place has no way of knowing if anyone has already drunk and that drinking more alcohol before and during the throw increases “the risk of an accident involving an ax that is a weapon, whether sharp or blunt.”
The candidate, Hilt Adventures, says “ax-throwing places are becoming more common” and some of our competitors have recently gained a decisive advantage over us “, with customers being able to drink while throwing an ax.
He adds: “The Hilt has a perfect safety record, operating since September 2019. without any accidents.”
Booth said she had made a video call with the complainant, stating that the only other place for throwing axes in the area was under the same alcohol conditions.
The York Council’s licensing subcommittee will resolve the issue next Monday.
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