Responding to an evolving landscape
Our position as the established ten-pin bowling and competitive socialising market leader in the UK, and now the ten-pin bowling market leader in Canada, enhances our ability to respond to evolving market dynamics. There are a number of market trends and opportunities which are important for the Group.
Consumers are prioritising social experiences over material possessions, influencing how they allocate their discretionary budgets and leisure time.
Opportunity
The ‘competitive socialising market’ has evolved due to a strong consumer appetite for unique and inclusive experiences, including modern takes on traditional activities such as bowling, mini-golf, table tennis and bingo.
Response
Through our active refurbishment programme, high service standards, and the introduction of innovations such as advanced scoring systems and leaderboards, we continue to set the standard for competitive socialising in the UK. This enables us to successfully compete with the fast-growing number of recent entrants in the market.
Traditional high street and out-of-town retail outlets are under increasing pressure from online channels and the rise of the ‘experience economy’.
Opportunity
Many retail property landlords and developers are expanding
their leisure offerings to create a broader destination experience,
aiming to increase footfall and extend dwell time.
Response
Our strong track record of successful partnerships with landlords and our unique customer offering position us as a key tenant. This is either alongside other leisure and casual dining operators or as a stand-alone leisure proposition in high-footfall, predominantly retail schemes.
Many bowling centres in Canada have historically suffered from low levels of investment leading to a decline in the standard of the customer experience.
Opportunity
Existing centre environments and customer experience are ripe for upgrading to attract a new leisure clientele, following the approach taken by recent entrants into the broader Canadian leisure market.
Response
We are investing in upgrading the centre environments through refurbishments and new centre builds, introducing features like VIP lanes and digital signage. Our team member development programmes are also aimed at improving the service experience.
With over 170 single-owned or small multi-site ten-pin bowling operators, the opportunity for market consolidation under a single brand is significant.
Opportunity
Well capitalised businesses like Hollywood Bowl Group can increase their share of the ten-pin bowling and wider leisure market as smaller operators become financially challenged, unable to invest in capital projects, or seek to exit the market.
Response
Our centre acquisition model focuses on acquiring existing centres in prime locations and adopting the subsequent rebrand and refurbishment strategy that we have employed in the UK.
