A bowling company which opened its new Swindon site six months ago has now revealed a financial drop, as families turn away from the bowling alley.
Hollywood Bowl operates in 74 locations across the UK, making it the UK’s largest 10-pin bowling operator.
In November 2024, the company opened its first Swindon site at Greenbridge Leisure Park, a move which was welcomed by residents after several delays.
But now, a recent spell of warm weather has caused a significant dent in the bowling company’s sales, as figures show numbers are on the decline.
From January to March 2025, the number of bowling game bookings recorded at Hollywood Bowl dropped by 4.5 per cent across the UK on a like-for-like basis.
Pre-tax profits fell 9.4 per cent to £28 million in the six months to March 31, as costs also rose in the UK.
But Stephen Burns, chief executive of Hollywood Bowl, said he is not overly worried about the decline, as the company puts it down to the unusual spell of warm and dry weather between February and March, which saw more families opting to spend time outside.
Hollywood Bowl opened in Swindon’s Greenbridge Leisure Park six months ago (Image: Newsquest) Despite confirming it has suffered a “short-term” hit, the UK bowling chain remains “confident” on its outlook for the final six months of the year.
“The prolonged period of unprecedented dry and warm weather from March to May has had a short-term impact on trading,” explained Mr Burns.
“However, we’ve responded quickly, managing margins and costs while maintaining strong operational performance, which remains as good as it’s ever been.”
The company also pointed out that while less families are booking games at its bowling alleys, the amount spent in bowling centres is up 1.5 per cent.
Swindon’s Local Democracy Reporter Aled Thomas trying out the lanes (Image: Newsquest) “We do definitely get a lot less people coming in when the weather’s hot,” one Swindon Hollywood Bowl staff member told the Adver.
“It’s what you’d expect really, so those figures make sense.
“But we’re not worried, we also get more people coming in during the colder months so it’s swings and roundabouts.”
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If it’s feeling the financial hit, Swindon’s newest Hollywood Bowl certainly hasn’t shown it as the site recently offered free bowling games to anyone who brought in a karate belt.
The bowling alley, which features 22 bowling lanes, state-of-the-art amusements, a bar and diner, and a party zone, also regularly holds giveaways for Swindon residents.
A spokesperson for Hollywood Bowl added: “Hollywood Bowl Swindon opened in November last year alongside a well-established cinema, a gym, and a good selection of lifestyle retail operators.
“The 22-lane centre occupying 25k square feet has been very well received and is trading in line with expectations.
“Hollywood Bowl is excited about the growth opportunity ahead, remaining focused on its strategy of providing an industry-leading leisure experience at a competitive price point.”
