Our proven growth strategy
We achieve strong returns on capital invested, through our unrelenting focus on providing a great customer experience, and maximise the multiple growth opportunities available to us.
Driving revenue growth
We grow revenues by attracting new customers, increasing the frequency of visits, and encouraging higher ancillary spending.
Our approach:
- Sales, service, and safety excellence: We focus on superior
sales, service, and safety to improve centre performance. - Outstanding customer experience: We prioritise four key
drivers of customer satisfaction: value for money, cleanliness,
team friendliness, and service speed. - Extended dwell time: We offer a diverse entertainment
experience to increase customer dwell time. - Technology investment: We invest in technology to enhance the digital customer journey, driving sales and engagement.
- Targeted digital marketing: We maximise customer awareness and engagement through targeted digital marketing campaigns.
- Enhanced food and beverage: We evolve our menus and
remove barriers to ordering. - Accessible amusement options: We enhance our amusement
offer and focus on making them affordable and accessible. - Minimised downtime: We reduce bowling-lane downtime
through the rollout of Pins on Strings technology.
Key achievements in FY2025:
- Record customer satisfaction scores
- Record spend per game levels driven through £5m UK amusements investment, technology enhancements and yield management gains
Future plans:
- Maintain relentless focus on analysing and reacting to customer feedback
- Increased investment in technology and marketing spend to acquire and retain customers and drive yields
Active asset refurbishment
We invest in our centres to enhance the customer experience and drive revenue, satisfaction levels and profitability.
Our approach:
- Refurbishment programme: We run a five-to-seven-year
refurbishment programme in the UK with an average spend of
c.£400k per centre, ensuring our centres remain in top condition
and allow us to introduce upgrades. Canada refurbishments are
costing more initially as we combine upgrades with required
maintenance spend to save time and further disruption. - Space optimisation: We reconfigure centres to optimise space
and drive revenues, such as combining bar and diner areas to
create more amusement space and introducing mini-golf
courses in under-utilised areas. - Enhanced amusement offerings: We increase the space,
density, and quality of family games and amusement machines,
driving ancillary revenues. - Digital content upgrades: We upgrade in-centre digital content
systems to improve customer engagement and encourage food
and beverage spending. - Sustainability investment: We invest in solar panels and Pins
on Strings to reduce our environmental impact.
Key achievements in FY2025:
- 12 Group refurbishments completed
- Pins on Stings in 97% of UK estate
- Space optimisation projects in selected centres introduced additional offers like e-darts and duckpin bowling
Future plans:
- One UK refurbishment in FY2026
- UK external signage upgrades
- Complete Pins on Strings roll out in Canada
- Trials of additional activities
New centres and acquisitions
We actively pursue growth opportunities in new local markets by building new centres and acquiring existing centres in prime locations.
Our approach:
- Quality openings: We focus on high-quality locations, setting
a minimum 19 per cent ROI on net capital expenditure. - Strategic acquisitions: We seek acquisitions that meet strict
investment criteria, both overseas and in the UK, where we can
add value and achieve sustainable, profitable growth.
Achievements in FY2025:
- Five new centres opened in UK
- Two new centres opened in Canada
- Achieved new centre target returns levels of 33% ROI
- Increased landlord demand in Canada
Future plans:
- Three new UK centres planned to be on site in FY2026
- First centre in Edmonton, Canada due to open in H1 FY2026
- Exciting pipeline in both territories – on target for 130 Group centres by FY20235
Focus on our people
We invest in creating outstanding workplaces for our dedicated, dynamic, and diverse teams who are key to fulfilling the Group’s purpose.
Our approach:
- Positive culture: We foster a positive, inclusive, fun, and
high‑performance culture. - Clear purpose: We ensure our purpose is well understood and
underpins the way our teams work. - Training and development: We provide industry-leading training and development programmes.
- Career progression: We offer all team members opportunities
to progress and develop their careers. - Competitive compensation: We offer competitive pay, benefits, and bonus schemes.
- Engagement and communication: We actively engage and
regularly communicate with all team members.
Achievements in FY2025:
- Ranked in the Sunday Times Best places to work 2025 (very big organisation)
- Accredited as a Great Place to Work in Canada
- 61% of UK management positions filled internally
- Launched gradaute and apprenticeship programmes in the UK
Furure plans:
- Maintain relentless focus on delivering sector-leading team development programmes
- Continue to develop our employer brands in UK and Canada
International expansion
In addition to growing our Canadian business, we actively evaluate other international opportunities in the indoor leisure sector.
Our approach:
- Extensive research: We undertake customer and market
research to evaluate market opportunities. - Investment criteria: We target fragmented and underinvested
international markets that are ripe for consolidation and apply
strict investment criteria before entering new markets. - Trials: We conduct trials to test centre environments and
customer propositions.
Achievements in FY2025:
- Now Canadian market leader in bowling
- Increased presence in key regions
- 3.9x revenue growth since market entrance in FY2022
- Revenues account for 15% of Group total
Future plans:
- Optimise future returns from FY2025 refurbishment and new centre investments
- 40 potential greenfield centres identified for new build centres in Canada
