THE English tradition of playing darts in pubs “has gone” and the government is offering no help to stop them from closing, according to former world champion Keith Deller.
Speaking to Nigel Farage on GB News, Deller paid tribute to Luke Littler for reviving the game: “I remember maybe going back five years, we were talking about Michael Van Gerwen all the time, before there was Phil Taylor, but I’m here at the World Championships now, and there’s a lot of adults got Littler shirts on.
“We expect all the youngsters to have it on, but the impact that he’s made in the world of darts – it’s just never been done before and he’s just a great breath of fresh air.
“He’s absolutely making darts just go worldwide [more] than it has always has been, and now, the way he plays, he’s very laid back, Nigel. He doesn’t get too uptight, doesn’t seem to practice too much like a machine and is a genius, really.”
He added: “There’s so many youngsters taking it up. There’s a lot of youth tournaments. It’s ridiculous, Nigel, how many youngsters now want to play darts because of Luke. There is a problem, the pubs now.
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“In our day, I’d do another 100 exhibitions in the pubs. Now they’re all food pubs. And sadly, the pubs are going.
“We’re getting no help from the government at all in the entertainment business. And the problem is now that they’re all going to be closing, the way they’re going.
“It’s sad, because people would go and have a pint and have a game of darts, and that was a tradition of England that’s gone.
“Really, for me, a lot of my work now is just corporate because the pubs and clubs can’t afford to book the pros because they’re not making the money.
“On the other side, the youngsters now, these youth clubs around the country, I mean, there’s nine-year-old children, they’re hitting nine-dart perfect games.
“There was one young lad, I was told in the North West, who played in the local pub. I think he was 13. He missed double 18 for a nine darter in the league match, and then he hit it the following week. I had one in 45 years!”