Hollywood Bowl Group plc (LON:BOWL), operator of the UK’s and Canada’s largest ten-pin bowling brands, has announced a trading update for the year ended 30 September 2026.
| First Half | Second Half | Full Year | |||||||
| Total revenue | FY26 | FY25 | % var | FY26 | FY25 | %Var | FY26 | FY25 | %Var |
| UK | 118.4 | 108.2 | +9.4% | 101.5 | 104.2 | (2.6%) | 219.9 | 212.4 | +3.5% |
| Canada | 23.2 | 21.1 | +9.9% | 18.5 | 17.2 | +7.9% | 41.7 | 38.3 | +9.0% |
| Total Group | 141.5 | 129.3 | +9.5% | 120.1 | 121.4 | (1.1%) | 261.6 | 250.7 | +4.3% |
| LFL revenue1 | |||||||||
| UK | +2.6% | (5.6%) | (1.4%) | ||||||
| Canada | +0.5% | +2.7% | +1.5% | ||||||
| Total Group | +2.3% | (4.5%) | (1.0%) | ||||||
A resilient trading performance set against the hottest UK spring and summer on record
· Total Group revenue grew 4.3% to a record £261.6m
· UK total revenue up 3.5% on FY25, to £219.9m
· UK LFL performance heavily impacted in H2 by exceptionally prolonged hot, dry weather
· Canada total revenue up 9.0% on FY25 due to excellent progress in new centre openings
· Canada LFL growth accelerated to 2.7% in H2 supported by operational and investment strategy
Expected to deliver Group Adjusted PBT growth for FY26 in line with expectations2
· Disciplined cost controls and dynamic pricing helped mitigate short-term weather impact
· Highly cash generative model, enabling investment for growth, with closing net cash of £13.5m
· £2.9m share buyback programme completed in H2
Business model ensures Group is well positioned to deliver growth in an expanding sector
· Affordable leisure proposition with cross-generational appeal supports resilient demand
· High margins insulate against inflationary pressures
· Proven model consistently delivers sector-leading revenue to PBT conversion
Continued progress with estate expansion
· 4 new centres opened taking Group estate to 95 centres
· Strong pipeline of 8 centres in UK and Canada will expand estate to 103 during FY27
· Remain on track for 130 Group centres by 2033
Stephen Burns, Chief Executive Officer, said:
“I’m pleased that the fundamental financial and operational strengths of our underlying model allowed us to deliver significant sales growth, even against a challenging backdrop. Demand remained resilient during the extended period of record hot weather in the UK, supported by our disciplined cost and pricing model, and our operational initiatives to drive footfall. Our affordable, inclusive proposition has continued to ensure we are well-positioned in an environment where consumers are closely watching what they spend.
“Our Canadian business has made good progress. A strong H2 performance reflects the investments we’ve made in existing and new centres in the territory, and we have made a material step forward in our pipeline for new centres.
“As we move into FY27, we have a solid platform to build on. Our cash-generative model enables us to continue to invest in new centre openings and customer-facing upgrades. We are focused on growth and delivering sustainable returns to our shareholders and we remain confident in the opportunities ahead.”
Notice of Results
Hollywood Bowl will announce its Full Year Results in December, with the date to be confirmed in due course.
1Like-for-like (LFL) revenue is from centres which have traded in both periods and have comparable days in each period. LFL revenue excludes revenues from our non-centre business Striker which acts as a wholesaler and installer for bowling equipment in Canada. Canada LFL revenues are reported on a constant currency basis.
2Based on company compiled consensus of analyst expectations for Group Adjusted PBT at the time of this announcement range from £48.0m to £53.2m with the mean of the eight analysts at £51.0m
