Hollywood Bowl grows annual sales as consumers spend more money

The bowling operator, which has 72 centers in Britain – including Bolton at Middlebrook Retail and Leisure Park – and 13 in Canada, said it expects full-year profits to exceed analysts’ forecasts.

It reported sales of £230.4m for the year to the end of September, up 7.2 per cent on the previous year.

Revenues rose by almost four percent to £200 million in Britain but remained flat on a like-for-like basis, removing the impact of new openings over the past year.

Sales in Canada increased by 42 percent after four new centers opened during the year.

The entertainment company says expanding and renovating its bowling alleys has led to people spending more time at the centers and spending more money per game.

People can spend extra money on food and drinks during games, but also on slot machines.

READ MORE: Looking back Bolton’s Hollywood Bowl unveiled ‘luxury’ Madison Suite

Bolton Hollywood Bowl was hugely popular in the 1990s

Hollywood Bowl will open four more bowling centers in Britain over the next year and says it is on target to have 130 centers across the group by 2035.

Demand for cheap leisure activities remains high, according to the company, which previously said families are looking for affordable days out against the rising cost of living.

It told shareholders that it now expects profits before tax and other costs to exceed analyst forecasts and exceed £65m.

CEO Stephen Burns said: “We have continued to expand our properties across the UK and Canada and have achieved strong returns through continued investment in our centres.

“Our team’s commitment to consistently delivering excellent customer experiences is reflected in longer dwell time, increased spend per game and positive customer feedback.”