The Gray Man pub in Daisy Hill has gone all out for spooky season, reworking a marquee right into a selfmade home of horrors, full with creepy clowns, witches, flashing lights and some surprising surprises.
And, as somebody who’s an absolute wuss in relation to something remotely scary, I made a decision to place my bravery to the check.
The maze has been created solely by the pub itself, utilizing hanging sheets and outdated cloth to type a winding, one-way route full of darkish corners and loads of alternatives for a fright.
There may be nothing significantly fancy in regards to the setup, however that is a part of its allure.
From interactive mannequins and creepy figures to issues dangling from the ceiling, the pub has made essentially the most of what it has.
Throw in some eerie music, flashing lights and a smoke machine, and instantly you are questioning why you agreed to stroll by way of within the first place.
The second I stepped inside, I used to be on edge.
Each nook had me questioning what was about to leap out subsequent, and I discovered myself bracing for a scare earlier than something had even occurred.
With out giving freely too many spoilers, let’s simply say not all the pieces contained in the maze is essentially a model.
There could also be a number of stay actors lurking round to maintain guests on their toes, they usually definitely added to the expertise.
Was I on edge? Completely. However did I get pleasure from it? Undoubtedly.
After all, in the event you’re a seasoned horror fanatic in search of the sort of terrifying expertise you’d discover at an enormous skilled scare attraction, this in all probability is not going to depart you sleeping with the lights on.
However that is not likely the purpose.
What makes this attraction particular is that it’s utterly free.
At a time when Halloween occasions can include hefty ticket costs, The Gray Man has put collectively one thing for native households and buddies to get pleasure from with out having to spend a penny on admission.
And for a selfmade, low-budget attraction, I feel they’ve performed a improbable job.
The pub is internet hosting a youngsters’s Halloween celebration tonight (Friday, October 30), adopted by an adults’ occasion tomorrow (Saturday, October 31).
And I can think about that, after a few drinks with buddies or household, making your method by way of the maze might flip into a fully hilarious expertise.
The staff behind the attraction is already waiting for subsequent 12 months, hoping that, if this 12 months’s occasion proves fashionable, they will go greater and higher by investing in an inflatable maze.
However even with out the large finances or elaborate particular results of bigger points of interest, they’ve managed to create one thing enjoyable, scary and, most significantly, accessible to the group.
Hats off to everybody at The Gray Man for placing within the effort and time to create one thing a little bit completely different for Westhoughton.
It may not be the largest or scariest maze you will ever encounter, but it surely definitely gave me a fright or two – and loads of laughs alongside the way in which.
So, the query is, would you be courageous sufficient to provide it a go?