Gerwyn Price has labelled Butlin’s Minehead Resort “freezing cold” ahead of the 2026 UK Open, saying the Somerset venue’s conditions do not suit his throwing style, even as he enters the tournament in strong form.
The 40-year-old Welshman, competing at the multi-board event which began on Thursday, said the environment at Minehead makes it difficult to perform. Despite those frustrations, Price committed to the tournament as he seeks to improve his world ranking.
Minehead has hosted the UK Open since 2014 and the Players Championship Finals since 2013, with the PDC and Butlin’s extending their partnership through the end of 2026. The venue has been popular with fans, who can buy weekend break packages covering accommodation and access to all sessions. PDC Chief Executive Matthew Porter has called it “the home of the UK Open.”
For Price, the cold conditions contrast with the warmer indoor settings where he has thrived in recent months. In late February, he won Players Championship 6 in Leicester, his 22nd career floor title, posting a tournament average of 104 and recording three of the five highest averages of the day. He beat Andrew Gilding 8-1 in the final.
His early 2026 form extends beyond that title. At the Winmau World Masters in Milton Keynes, Price reached the semi-finals for the first time since 2022, averaging 108.5 in a straight-sets win over James Hurrell before losing in a deciding leg to world number one Luke Littler.
“I think I was a little bit ruthless in that game,” Price said of the Hurrell win. “If I had one or two slip-ups, it would have been a completely different game, but thankfully I was up for it.”
Earlier in January, Price ended Littler’s 21-match winning streak at the Bahrain Masters with a 6-2 quarter-final victory, averaging 97.43, before falling to Michael van Gerwen in the semi-finals.
Price’s recent results suggest his game is in good shape heading into the weekend.
