BRITAIN’S BIGGEST BOWLING CHAIN SET FOR £280M FLOAT

Hollywood Bowl had revenues of £86m last year – most from sales of food and arcade games. More than 10.4m games played last year at its 54 alleys. It owns 52,000 pins and 8,000 bowling balls. Ten-pin bowling arrived in the UK in 1960 but died out because Brits found scoring too hard.

It thrived in the 1990s when computers totted up scores. Today there are around 160 alleys in the UK.

The sport was included in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul and was on the shortlist for Rio this year – but didn’t make the cut.

BRITAIN’S biggest bowling chain Hollywood Bowl has announced plans to join the stock market in a £280m float.

The value of the chain, which is owned by private equity group Electra, has surged as the sport’s popularity has climbed in recent years.

Bowling is the fastest growing segment of the leisure industry – growing at twice the pace of the sector. Between 2013 and 2015 bowling grew 6pc, compared with 3pc for the wider industry. Chief executive Stephen Burns said: ‘We will let the market determine the price, but we have had some very positive feedback.’

The company has 54 alleys and is set to open sites in Southampton and Derby, with plans to open two more every year.

it has a third of the UK bowling market and last year saw revenues grow 9pc to £86m. Food and arcade machines make up 28pc and 23pc of sales.