Hollywood Bowl profits up despite challenging backdrop

(Sharecast News) - Hollywood Bowl reported a rise in annual core earnings despite a challenging backdrop for indoor leisure as customers splashed out on food and drink at its ten-pin centres. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation for the year to September 30 rose 4.2% to £91.2m.

Despite the cost-of-living crisis the company said there was still "robust demand for multi-generational affordable leisure in UK and Canada" as per game spend rose 9%.

The company added that more than 70% of UK revenue was not subject to cost-of-goods inflation, while labour costs represented less than 20% of UK sales.

It also has a pipeline of four new centres secured for opening in fiscal 2026.

"We delivered a fourth consecutive year of record revenue and adjusted EBITDA, against a backdrop of industry-wide challenges," said chief executive Stephen Burns.

"We achieved double digit revenue growth in amusements and are the number one bowling operator in Canada. Our focus on the customer proposition and operational excellence yielded strong results, with uplifts in spend per game across all categories whilst maintaining accessible pricing."

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com