Competitive socialising sector grows at rapid rate, says Savills

Renewed appetite for in-person experiences and interactions following the Covid-19 pandemic has fuelled demand for the sector, with it today representing the biggest development the leisure sector has seen in decades. 

Competitive socialising encompasses a mix of experiential leisure activities, such as golf, stop the clock (STC), bowling, and virtual reality (VR), as well as ‘solo’ and ‘combo’ competitive socialising. It was in its relative infancy in 2018, and whilst the market has grown as a whole, some sub-sectors have accelerated at a faster rate than others.

Many brands have opted for a more blended offering as the competition becomes fierce, with the likes of Boom Battle Bar and Lane7 contributing to the 455% uptick in ‘combo’ attractions over the past five years. ‘Solo’ competitive socialising, which defines venues marketing one singular activity such as darts, axe-throwing, and ping-pong, has grown by 162%. Mini golf, a more established sector, but one which has been revolutionised through innovative design and imaginatively themed layouts, has also seen an increase of 96%. In comparison, bowling, which already has a big presence in the market, has increased by 10%, with its biggest growth seen largely within the ‘combo’ rather than ‘solo’ market, and STC by 13% due its low barriers to entry and easy availability of property. Brands with the most investment, or intellectual property (IP) relationships, are winning out. Standalone VR is the only sector to have declined by 5% – unlike its counterparts, it is far more likely to be incorporated into blended rather than standalone concepts and therefore remains an important growth area for new concepts.

When analysing regional change, Birmingham experienced the fastest growth in the sector over the past five years, with a net change of 14 units over the period, and more planned for the Bullring and Grand Central estates in 2024. This is closely followed by Liverpool at nine units and Leicester at six units. In Grosvenor’s Liverpool One shopping centre, there are five brands alone including Junkyard Golf, Gravity Max, Escape Live, Roxy Ballroom and Esports venue and Level Tap, with Flight Club set to join the line up in 2024. London comparatively has seen a smaller proportionate rise in openings at five units, which is likely due to a lack of affordable supply and the city being a more mature market for the sector, compared to other regions.

Carlene Hughes, Head of UK restaurants and leisure at Savills, adds: “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, comments: “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.”