We have recently published out North East Leisure Supplement 2022, produced alongside Sintons.

Associate Partner in our Newcastle office, Mark Convery, analyses the real explosion in experiential leisure and ‘Competitive Socialising’ which has fast become a buzzword in the leisure industry.

I don’t know about you but if someone suggested going for a night out, I’d be thinking of a few pints around town and if they said ‘do you fancy a game of something?’, I’d imagine they’d mean a game of pool or at a push maybe 10 pin bowling.  But over the last few years there has been a real explosion in experiential leisure and ‘Competitive Socialising’ has become a buzzword in the industry.

Up to the end of 2019 (and prior to the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic), prospects for the UK leisure and hospitality industry looked very positive, with the sector exceeding a market value of £5bn for the first time.  The relatively low value of the pound at the time was driving many brits to seek better value options on home soil.  As such, many expected leisure activities to benefit from increased disposable income as consumer confidence soared to the highest point in a decade.  Clearly Covid-19 put the brakes on this, but this doesn’t mean that reveller’s expectations have changed.  Indeed, it is arguable that the after the lockdown experience, an even greater variety would be welcomed.

Appetite for new types of social experience was leading to many ‘new’ (or new to this generation of revellers) bar and game concepts, such as crazy golf, shuffleboard, or social darts.

The leisure industry has faced several new realities: not necessarily alternative ones, but trends that were already beginning to transform it have accelerated and will continue to influence how leisure businesses may operate in the coming decades.

The first is well documented: younger guests prioritising experience over consumption. Consumers want something exciting and different, whether being in an architecturally amazing or unique environment; or with an activity – hence the rise of urban golf experiences, retro arcades, ping pong bars and activities such as axe throwing.

The second reality is that leisure no longer plays second fiddle to retail. Leisure uses in many locations around the world were once found outside city centres.  This is however no longer the case.  Leisure concepts are becoming the anchor tenants of schemes.

The third, and perhaps the most exciting, is virtual reality (VR) but that’s a whole other article on its own!

Here in the north east we have seen this expansion in competitive socialising over the last 5 years or so, with Tim Wilks’, Lane 7 being one of the early adopters, with their high end 10 Pin Bowling sitting alongside other activities such as Beer Pong and Table Tennis, and more recently operators such as Junkyard Golf, Game of Throwing (Axe Throwing), Point Blank Shooting have opened venues in Newcastle and Retro Arcade operator NQ64, who have been looking for a venue in the city for some time, recently announced they had secured the old Intermezzo bar on Pilgrim Street.

Established businesses are also changing some of their venues to offer a unique experience to guests.  One such innovative venue is the Apartment Group’s ‘Howlers’ on Collingwood Street, Newcastle’s first and only Ball Pit Bar, we asked Debrah Dhugga, CEO of the Apartment Group, why they decided on such a different angle for this venue?

Debrah Dhugga, CEO of the Apartment Group commented “First and foremost, at the Apartment Group we believe we are a great team of fun givers, we love nothing better than ensuring our beloved customers have a fun time as soon as they step through our doors. We’re professional and positive, with a runaway success story that keeps growing. The blend of cool cocktails and a childhood nostalgia fun night out came up at a team brainstorm. What did our city not have? An Adults Ball pit! Sounds crazy, yes… but after that our new permanent Howlers was born. Twice the size we originally planned filled with thousands of balls, Howlers is on everybody’s “must do” list. It may sound ridiculous, but the audience love it.  Trust us when we say, our ball pit is a must, even just one jump in to say you have experienced it!”

Demand for venues in the city remains high, with operators such as The Bat & Ball Club, Boom: Battle Bars & Flight Club all having ongoing requirements and we see no real reason this will change.  Newcastle has always been a party city, with a strong and vibrant nightlife and long may that continue.  Our operators have always been innovators and have led the changes.  Without question leisure has changed over the last 10 years and is still changing, but great operators helping guests enjoy themselves will be the one thing that never changes.