Hollywood Bowl Group (BOWL) Trading Update summary

Financial performance

• Achieved record revenues of £230.4m, a 7.2% increase from FY2023, with UK revenue up 3.8% and Canada up 42.2% on a constant currency basis.

• Group like-for-like revenue grew 0.2%, with UK flat and Canada up 6.3% on a constant currency basis.

• EBITDA pre-IFRS 16 expected to exceed £65.0m, ahead of market expectations.

• Ended the year with £28.6m net cash and an undrawn £25m revolving credit facility.

• Continued strong investment in estate quality and customer experience, driving higher spend per game.

Operational highlights

• Completed seven UK and four Canadian refurbishments, and added eight new centres (four in each country).

• First new Canadian development opened in Waterloo, Ontario in July.

• UK estate now at 72 centres and Canada at 13, with a target of 130 centres group-wide by 2035.

• Rolled out a new customer reservation system in the UK, with a pilot underway in Canada.

• 42% of UK centres now fitted with solar panels, reducing energy costs and exposure.

Regional performance and growth

• UK like-for-like revenues were flat, reflecting normalization after strong prior years; bowling centres saw slight growth, while Puttstars declined.

• Canada delivered strong like-for-like growth, with new acquisitions and refurbishments performing well.

• Four new Canadian centres added, including three acquisitions and one new build.

• Two new Canadian centres set to open in H1 FY2025, with further pipeline development ongoing.

• Refurbished Canadian centres received excellent customer feedback, supporting further expansion.