The best corporate days out and work social ideas get the whole team doing something together, give quieter colleagues an easy way in and fit a sensible budget. Indoor airsoft target shooting at Shooters Range, with venues in Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield, ticks all three: a session lasts 1 hour, costs from £25 per person and needs no experience at all.
This guide is for whoever has been handed the job of organising the next team social. It covers what makes a work social succeed, how the common formats compare, what actually happens at a shooting range, what it costs and how to plan for teams of different sizes.
If you already know which city you are in, our local guides to corporate team building in Leicester and team building activities in Nottingham go deeper on those venues.
At a glance
- What it is: indoor airsoft target shooting on Attacksense smart targets that score every hit automatically.
- Where: Shooters Range Leicester, Shooters Range Nottingham and Shooters Range Sheffield, each with 4 lanes.
- Group size: up to 3 shooters per lane, so up to 12 shooting at once per venue. Teams of 13+ get a tailored package.
- Session length: 1 hour on the range, plus 10 minutes beforehand to check in.
- Price: from £25 per person, with the gun, BBs, safety equipment and briefing included.
- Ages: 11+, no upper age limit, and no experience or fitness needed.
- Opening hours: Tue–Thu 17:00–21:00, Fri 17:00–22:00, Sat 11:00–22:00, Sun 11:00–19:00, closed Mondays. Check the venue page for the latest times.
What makes a good work social?
A good work social is one people would turn up to even if it were optional. In practice that comes down to four things: it includes everyone, it mixes people up, it has a clear shape and it is simple to organise. Run any idea past those four tests before you book.
It includes everyone
Picture the person in your team least likely to enjoy the day. Activities that rely on fitness, drinking, performing in public or existing skill tend to quietly exclude somebody. The safest choices let a complete beginner take part fully and still do well.
It mixes people up
A seated dinner keeps people with whoever they sat next to. Activities with short rounds, small teams and a shared scoreboard move people around naturally, and that is where the cross-department conversations happen.
It has a clear shape
Socials drift when nobody knows what happens next. A fixed start time, one main activity and a natural finish, such as a winner being crowned or a table booked nearby, make the event feel organised without anyone running it with a clipboard.
It is simple to book
Fixed per-person prices, everything included and clear rules on changes save the organiser hours of back-and-forth. Always check what happens if numbers change before you commit.
How do the main work social formats compare?
Most UK work socials fall into a handful of formats. The table compares them on the points organisers tend to care about most. It is a general guide, and individual venues vary.
| Format | Works for mixed abilities | Mixes people up | Energy | Typical length | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indoor target shooting | High: no fitness or experience needed | High: small lane groups and a shared scoreboard | Medium to high | 1 hour | Competitive teams, after-work socials |
| Escape room | Medium: depends on the puzzles | Medium: you stay with your room | Medium | About an hour | Small problem-solving teams |
| Bowling | High | Low to medium: lots of waiting for turns | Low to medium | 1 to 2 hours | Relaxed, casual socials |
| Sit-down meal | High | Low: fixed seating | Low | 2 to 3 hours | Celebrations and leaving dos |
| Outdoor activity day | Low to medium: weather and fitness | High | High | Half or full day | Teams who love the outdoors |
| Quiz or bar night | Medium: less fun for non-drinkers | Medium | Low | 2 to 3 hours | Low-budget, informal catch-ups |
Many of the best socials pair two of these: an activity first, then food or drinks nearby. For a closer look at the top three, read our comparison of a shooting range vs an escape room vs bowling.
Why indoor target shooting works for corporate days out
Indoor airsoft target shooting is a supervised activity where you fire plastic BBs from realistic airsoft replicas at electronic targets that register and score each hit. Nobody shoots at anybody and there is no running around, so it suits the whole office rather than just the sporty few.
- A level playing field. Most of your team will never have done it, so the newest starter and the managing director begin from exactly the same place. The top score often comes from someone unexpected.
- Fair, instant scoring. Attacksense smart targets detect hits in real time and score automatically, so there are no disputed results and nobody has to keep count.
- Competition you can dial up or down. The 14 game modes run from calm Target Practice to fast head-to-head rounds, so you can keep it friendly or run a proper tournament.
- Something to talk about afterwards. Every score goes onto the national leaderboards, so the office champion has bragging rights well beyond the day itself.
What happens during a session?
A Shooters Range session is 1 hour on the range, supervised throughout by trained range officers. Ask everyone to arrive 10 minutes early so the group can check in at reception together.
- Check-in and safety briefing. A range officer gives a full safety briefing and everyone is kitted out with safety equipment, including eye protection.
- On the lanes. Your group spreads across the lanes, up to 3 per lane. Solo modes such as Shooting Gallery, Rhythm and Sudden Ambush test accuracy and reactions.
- Head-to-head rounds. Multiplayer modes such as Blitz, Streak, Draw and Clear the Board put 2 or 3 colleagues against each other on the same lane.
- Results. Scores appear instantly, so you leave with a clear winner.
All equipment is provided, and personal guns and BBs are not allowed. Tell your team to wear comfortable clothes that cover arms and legs, closed-toe shoes, and to leave loose jewellery at home. Our guide to what to expect on your first shooting range visit covers the day in more detail, which is handy to forward to nervous colleagues.
How much does a work social at a shooting range cost?
A work social at Shooters Range costs £25 to £60 per person for a 1-hour session, depending on the package. Every package includes the gun or guns, BBs, full safety equipment and the safety briefing, so there are no hidden extras unless you choose them.
| Package | Per person | Gun(s) | Team of 8 | Team of 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle Experience | £25 | Electric M4 rifle | £200 | £300 |
| Pistol Experience | £30 | HPA pistol | £240 | £360 |
| MP7 Experience | £35 | Tokyo Marui MP7 | £280 | £420 |
| Dual Firearm Experience | £40 | Electric M4 rifle and HPA pistol | £320 | £480 |
| Elite Experience | £60 | Electric M4 rifle, HPA pistol and Tokyo Marui MP7 | £480 | £720 |
The Rifle Experience is a great fit for casual and first-time shooters, which describes most office teams. If the day is a reward for hitting a target, the Dual Firearm or Elite Experience adds variety. Optional add-ons include an extra 500 BBs for £4. Choosing one package for the whole group keeps the competition fair.
How to plan a work social for any team size
Each venue has 4 lanes with up to 3 shooters per lane, so up to 12 people can shoot at once. That makes most team sizes simple to plan.
| Team size | Lanes used | Suggested format | How to book |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 to 3 | 1 | Straight head-to-head on one lane | Online |
| 4 to 6 | 2 | Lane against lane, best combined score wins | Online |
| 7 to 9 | 3 | Three lane teams, plus an individual champion | Online |
| 10 to 12 | 4 | Four lane teams, all on one session | Online |
| 13+ | Across lanes | Tailored package | Contact us |
Teams of up to 12
Choose your nearest venue and book online: pick a date and time, choose a package and pay. Walk-ins are accepted subject to availability, but weekends and school holidays sell out, so book ahead rather than risk it with a whole team.
Teams of 13 or more
Because a venue fits 12 shooting at once, larger teams need a little more planning. Contact us with your numbers, preferred venue and dates and we will put together a tailored package for your group.
Teams spread across offices
If your business has staff in the East Midlands and South Yorkshire, each office can book its local venue and compare results on the national leaderboards. It makes a friendly inter-office challenge without anyone having to travel.
When is the best time for a work social?
Weekday sessions run in the evening, from 17:00 Tuesday to Friday, so Shooters Range works naturally as an after-work social. Saturdays (11:00–22:00) and Sundays (11:00–19:00) suit a daytime team day out. All venues are closed on Mondays, and hours can change, so check the venue page for the latest times.
- Tuesday to Thursday evenings: finish work, shoot at 17:30 or 18:00, and still be home at a reasonable hour.
- Friday evenings: the classic end-of-week social, open until 22:00, with time for food or drinks afterwards.
- Weekends: ideal for a daytime team day, but the busiest time of the week, so book well ahead.
- December: the most popular month for work dos. Our guide to corporate Christmas party ideas covers festive planning.
Plans change, and bookings are non-refundable, but they can be rescheduled. The first reschedule is free with at least 24 hours' notice; after that it is £5 to £10 per person. It is worth knowing before you send the calendar invite.
Choosing a venue: Leicester, Nottingham or Sheffield
All three venues run the same packages, targets and game modes, so choose whichever is easiest for your team to reach. Leicester and Nottingham are in the city centre, and Sheffield is a short walk from Kelham Island.
| Venue | Address | Parking | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shooters Range Leicester | 65D Bedford Street South, Leicester LE1 3JR | No on-site parking; nearby NCP and on-street parking | 5.0 from 1,100+ reviews |
| Shooters Range Nottingham | 20 Norfolk Place, Nottingham NG1 2AA (enter from Upper Parliament Street) | No on-site parking; nearby NCP and pay-and-display | 4.9 from 280+ reviews |
| Shooters Range Sheffield | 163 Rutland Road, Sheffield S3 9PT | On-street parking on surrounding streets | 4.9 from 200+ reviews |
For a Nottingham team, note that Norfolk Place is an alleyway with a big Shooters Range banner at the very end, and there is no access from Market Place. If your Sheffield team wants food and drinks after the shoot, our guide to things to do in Sheffield for groups has ideas nearby.
Frequently asked questions
Is a shooting range a good idea for a work social?
Yes, especially for mixed teams. Indoor airsoft target shooting needs no fitness or experience, and trained range officers supervise every session, so everyone from a new starter to a senior manager can take part and do well. Automatic scoring on Attacksense smart targets keeps the competition fair, and the 1-hour session leaves plenty of time for food or drinks afterwards.
How many colleagues can shoot at the same time?
Each Shooters Range venue has 4 lanes, with up to 3 shooters per lane, so up to 12 people can shoot at once. Teams of up to 12 can book online at their chosen venue. For teams of 13 or more, get in touch through our contact page and we will put together a tailored package that fits your numbers and dates.
Can we book a corporate session during the working day?
From Tuesday to Friday the venues open at 17:00, which makes them ideal for after-work socials. For a daytime team day, Saturdays run from 11:00 to 22:00 and Sundays from 11:00 to 19:00. All venues are closed on Mondays. Opening hours can change, so check your chosen venue's page for the latest times before you plan.
Do any of our team need shooting experience?
No. Complete beginners are welcome, and a range officer gives everyone a full safety briefing before they start. The Rifle Experience, with the electric M4 rifle, is a great fit for casual and first-time shooters. Experienced shooters are welcome too, and the national leaderboards give the competitive ones something to aim for.
What should colleagues wear?
Comfortable clothing that covers arms and legs, plus closed-toe shoes, which are required. Avoid loose jewellery. Safety equipment, including eye protection, is provided along with the guns and BBs, so nobody needs to bring anything. Office clothes are fine as long as they meet those basics, which makes a straight-from-work session easy.
What happens if some of the team drop out after we book?
Bookings are non-refundable but can be rescheduled. The first reschedule is free if you give at least 24 hours' notice; otherwise it is £5 per person, and later reschedules cost £5 to £10 per person. You can manage a booking online, so it is worth confirming numbers with your team before you pay.
Is there a minimum age for family or mixed-age work events?
The minimum age is 11, and there is no upper age limit. Anyone aged 11 to 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult aged 18 or over, who stays and supervises for the whole session. That makes Shooters Range a workable option for family days that include colleagues' older children.