Pétanque is thriving at busy Arundel club
Following a few years at the now demolished pub, The Lamb Inn in Yapton, Arundel Pétanque Club has been at its current site alongside Arundel FC since 2010.
The club was founded by current chair Kath Knight and her late husband Mike, drawing a group of people together who played at The Lamb Inn.
Since 2010, the club has grown steadily and now boasts a very healthy membership size of around 60, with members coming from as far as Aldershot, Fareham and Midhurst.
The community spirit has also been maintained from the days at Yapton, with the club continuing its core values of being friendly with an inclusive atmosphere, welcoming players of all ages and abilities.
The club is both competitive and casual, with an ambitious streak.
It is affiliated to the Southern Counties Pétanque Association and Pétanque England.
The club has its own affiliated coaches with regular coaching sessions taking place. There are two six-a-side league teams (Aardvarks and Armadillos) and a nine-a-side Aardvarks League team. Both Aardvark league teams were promoted in late 2025 as champions of their respective leagues.
The club also organises and hosts open tournaments over the year which are always very well received. The standard and quality is very high, with participants including current and ex-England players and world juniors who travel from far and wide across England and Wales.
There are also internal competitions over the year: Battle of the Sexes, Singles, Doubles and Triples, and the very popular Christmas melée.
The club promotes pétanque to local societies, including the Women’s Institute and the Arun Allstars Walking Football Club, where they also provide barbecues afterwards. There is an annual awards night at the Arundel microbrewery and pizza establishment, Fauna.
Arundel Pétanque Club has a very friendly, community atmosphere and all who attend, be it club members, local societies or competitors, endorse its friendliness and ambition.
You can find Arundel Pétanque Club on the website (search Arundel Pétanque Club) and on Facebook, or better still, come down and try pétanque at Arundel Football Club, Mill Road, Arundel, BN18 9PA (opposite the main entrance to Arundel Castle).
Club sessions are Wednesdays 10am-1pm and Sundays 10.30am -1pm.