There has been a 38% increase in the number of ‘competitive socialising’ venues in the UK since 2018, according to new research from Savills.
The firm attributed the increase to a renewed appetite for in-person experiences and interactions following the Covid-19 pandemic.
There has been a 455% uptick in the number of ‘combo’ attractions – venues that offer more than one activity – over the past five years, with ‘solo’ competitive socialising venues, which offer a singular activity, growing by 162%.
Birmingham experienced the fastest growth in the sector, with a net change of 14 units in the past five years and more are planned for the Bullring and Grand Central estates in 2024. Nine competitive socialising units opened in Liverpool, six opened in Leicester and five opened in London.
Carlene Hughes, head of UK restaurants and leisure at Savills, said: “Since our initial report five years ago, we have seen an array of new entrants into the sub-market, and predict that this will continue to grow with new concepts emerging. Our research suggests that there will be a number of football-based simulation activities with Ballerz, a concept backed by ex-professional footballers, due to open in Bluewater next year.
“There is also likely going to be more food and beverage brands thinking carefully about how to incorporate immersive entertainment, with concepts from BoxPark to Butlins including competitive socialising in their venues. We expect that our world-class UK brands will also begin looking internationally to grow their business, with the likes of F1 Arcade opening in Boston next year.”
Tom Whittington, director in commercial research at Savills, added: “The key to future-proofing this sector is either bringing multiple concepts together under one roof as a cluster of brands or via a ‘combo’ style operator or having a clear brand identity backed up with a high-quality offer or IP.
“Whilst we have seen several underinvested pioneers in the sector disappear, the growth in competitive socialising has been remarkable despite a dampened consumer backdrop and shows that there remains a strong appetite for good leisure experiences. As such, we will continue to see further growth and new market entrants in the years to come.”
