New sports lounge in East Kilbride as pub unveils its new-look area

The Salmon Leap in Calderwood opens its new sports lounge tonight, bringing something completely new to East Kilbride’s nightlife scene.

The new Shots lounge features the big screens and cool stylings we’ve come to expect from this much-loved local, making it the perfect place to watch the Six Nations this weekend.

But it also promises entertainment beyond the big matches, with two full-sized pool tables and an electronic darts board.

The new Shots sports lounge opens on February 18 upstairs at the Salmon Leap – just head to Maxwellton Avenue in East Kilbride to check it out.

A pub with its heart in the community

“We are excited to show people our new sports lounge so they can see the results of our latest refurbishment,” says Ryan Scott, a director of the company which owns the pub.

The new interactive darts game is set to be a big hit. It means no more lengthy calculations to keep score: The dartboard is fitted with sensors that detect the hits and share your score directly onto a screen.

As well as the games options, there’s plenty of comfy seating and a retro new look to the area, which was previously a function room.

“It’s ideal if you want to go somewhere for a drink with friends and have some fun,” he says.

“It will be great when there are big games on, like the Six Nations, but it’s not just somewhere for sports fans. It would be great for a date night – we’ve worked really hard to make it comfortable and there’s a really welcoming atmosphere.”

A new offering for the East Kilbride scene

Last month, the Scottish Beer and Pub Association called for parliamentarians and the next Scottish Government to provide much-needed support for pubs and brewers. New figures published in January showed that one pub per week closed permanently in Scotland during 2025 – and that one in 16 Scottish pubs closed down in the last five years.

Ryan said these challenges meant it was even more important to offer customers in the area something new and entertaining. "We are trying to do something different – we wanted to create a social space that isn’t just for the big matches,” he explains.

“For us, it’s really important that we put back in to maintain our pub and bring something new for our customers.

“It’s become a real community hub since we took it on, and we hope that even more people in the area will hear about us and come and visit because of the new sports lounge.”