Durham Ping Pong Parlour is a great way to spend an afternoon - and it's not just about picking up a bat and playing.

The Durham Ping Pong Parlour opened up in Durham's Prince Bishops Shopping Centre with the simple idea of letting people pick up a bat and have a go at table tennis when they're out and about shopping.

The Ping Pong Parlours have opened in several cities and also locations across the North East, such as Dalton Park Outlet village. In some places the Ping Pong Parlour is located in a shop while others occupy empty retail units; if there's a vacant shop, the Ping Pong Parlour provides a community service as well as some sport and some fun, which is excellent if you're looking for something to do when out shopping in Durham, especially during school holidays.

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Durham Ping Pong Parlour opened in November 2018 and continues until May 31 2019. It's located at the rear end of M&Co in the Prince Bishops Shopping Centre, and is open any time M&Co is open, which is 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 11am to 4pm Sunday.

But as well as being open to come along and have a go, Durham Ping Pong Parlour also hosts regular events on most days of the week, from table tennis challenges through to coaching for beginners.

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Here's a list of the Durham Ping Pong Parlour events throughout the week:

Tuesday 9.30-11.30am: Beginner lessons

Wednesday 10am-12pm: Bat and Chat

Thursdays all day: Batting Buddies

Friday 2-3pm: Robot Challenge

Saturday 1-3pm: Ping Pong Challenge

Sunday 3-4pm: Ping Pong Battles

If you have a group of friends that are interested in going along to Durham Ping Pong Parlour together, then you can also contact Ping Pong Paul directly, on 07462 219998.

Feature image credit: Durham BID