Revenue at Hollywood Bowl has increased by 7.1% to £230.4m in the year to 30 September, despite the group incurring a £5m impairment on its Puttstars mini-golf operations.

The entertainment firm, which operates venues across the UK and Canada, saw its adjusted EBITDA increase by 5.9% in the same period to £87.6m.

However, Hollywood Bowl’s profit before tax dropped by 5.2% to £42.8m, while its profit after tax fell by 12.4% to £29.9m.

It stated that this was a result of the impairment relating to its mini-golf centres, of which four have been rebranded as 'Putt and Play from Hollywood Bowl', while a fifth venue in York has been integrated into the current Hollywood Bowl unit.

Chief executive officer at Hollywood Bowl, Stephen Burns, said: "We are pleased to report another strong performance reflecting the ongoing demand for family friendly, affordable leisure. I am extremely grateful to my fantastic colleagues for their hard work and dedication each day to giving our customers the best possible experiences.

"Following a year of record levels of investment, our proven growth strategy continues to deliver strong returns. Bowling is unique in its ability to appeal to a wide demographic with anyone able to take part, and we are confident in the ongoing strong demand for fun and inclusive family-friendly experiences at an affordable price."

Looking ahead, the firm said its group trading performance has "started well" in the current financial year. It stated that it expects to add "at least four" additional centres in the UK and two in Canada by the end of the financial year and remains on track to meet its target of 130 centres by 2035.

Hollywood Bowl added that while changes to national insurance contributions are set to add £1.2m to its expenditure annually from April 2025, it is "well-placed" to mitigate the increased costs, while keeping its bowling offer "affordable" for customers.

Investment director at AJ Bell, Russ Mould, stated that while there were some "negative issues" in these results, there were "areas for the company to celebrate".

He concluded: "Hollywood Bowl’s offering of a relatively good value, family-oriented activity, which can be enjoyed when the weather is poor, is clearly resonating in both the UK and Canada.

"Refurbishing sites is a key part of Hollywood Bowl’s strategy. These are no longer the tired bowling alleys of 20 years ago where paint was peeling off the walls and you had to swap your own shoes for some musty, ill-fitting footwear which had already been worn by countless people.

"The company has made a solid start to the new financial year and investors will be looking for further progress in Canada and evidence the extra costs created by the recent Budget changes can be absorbed by the business in the coming 12 months."

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