The first 'rage room' on the island of Ireland has recently opened its doors in Co Armagh.
The rage room concept has grown in popularity in the United States in recent years as a way to relieve stress and release tension through smashing objects in a controlled environment.
The Rage Room NI opened in Portadown earlier this month and has been so popular that the company are eyeing up plans to open another unit on Belfast's Boucher Road before the end of summer.
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“Our idea for the rage room probably happened about a year and a half ago to two years," owner Ryan Smith told Belfast Live.
“The more people we got chatting to, they were all dealing with some sort of issue or some sort of problem that nobody can solve.
“We had seen the rage room concept online and looked to see if there were any in the UK or Ireland. There wasn’t any available at the time.
“We thought this was our chance and after a year and a half to two years of work we are finally open.”
Ryan said the process involved in getting a business like this off the ground was incredibly difficult but that he wouldn’t discourage anyone from following in their footsteps.
“The smile on people’s faces when they leave this room is worth it and in our eyes the hard work is done.
“The day that we got handed the keys to this unit we said that if it changes one person's life, then our job is done.
“I could easily say that everyone who has come here has been unsure what to expect but once they get in, things start to change, they get pumped up and when they leave, their face is glowing.
“We have had people messaging the next day to say that they are still on a high and that encourages us that we are doing the right thing.
“The more stories I hear of what people have went through with their mental health and in our eyes this is a place that you can go to for 30 minutes or an hour and completely zone out.
“It is very hard to explain but the release of something exploding in a safe and controlled environment is unexplainable.”
Upon arrival, guests are given a safety briefing before putting on appropriate PPE and a bat.
Once inside the room, they have access to other weapons including sledge hammers and glass bottles which they can use to take their anger out on the items in the room.
Ryan has collaborated with Avenue Recycling who supply the Rage Room with goods to be smashed.
The company then return and take all of the items which have been destroyed away for recycling.
“Our main job was to collaborate with someone who takes recycling seriously and would reduce the amount of waste going to landfill," he continued.
“They send us stuff, we smash it bits then they come back and take it to a recycling plant where it is separated and then recycled.
“That also has a great impact on our community and environment.”
Finishing up, Ryan added: “For anyone who feels like they are lost, for anyone who feels like they are angry, frustrated or even just want a bit of craic, come and check us out because we could easily say that not one person has left here dissatisfied.”
Video by Harry Bateman/Belfast Live
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