Hollywood Bowl Group
Corporate brand
UnclaimedHollywood Bowl Group is a British leisure and family-entertainment company operating bowling and miniature-golf venues in the United Kingdom and Canada.
Last updated August 26, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile yet.
Overview
Hollywood Bowl Group plc is a British leisure and family-entertainment company whose principal activities are the operation of ten-pin bowling centres, miniature-golf venues and associated entertainment facilities. Its main UK bowling brand is Hollywood Bowl, while its Canadian operations use the Splitsville name. In the United Kingdom, the group also operates Puttstars miniature-golf centres. The business has its roots in AMF Bowling's British operations. AMF Bowling opened its first UK centre in Stamford Hill, North London, on 20 January 1960. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, AMF Bowling UK expanded through acquisitions, and its estate grew substantially after Goldman Sachs acquired AMF Bowling in 1996. A further change of ownership occurred in 2004, when certain shareholders of Bourne Leisure acquired the British AMF-branded centres. The UK business subsequently invested in refurbishments and new locations. In August 2010, AMF Bowling UK acquired the Hollywood Bowl business from Mitchells & Butlers. The two operations were combined as The Original Bowling Company Ltd, creating the largest bowling-centre operator in the United Kingdom at that time. The enlarged business continued to modernise venues and consolidate its brand portfolio. Electra Private Equity acquired The Original Bowling Company in September 2014 for £91 million. The company expanded again in 2015 through the purchase of rival operator Bowlplex. The transaction was subject to review by the UK Competition and Markets Authority. Ten Bowlplex sites were retained and converted to the Hollywood Bowl format, while six sites were sold to Tenpin to address competition concerns. Following the transaction, The Original Bowling Company adopted the Hollywood Bowl Group name and pursued a more unified customer proposition under the Hollywood Bowl banner. Hollywood Bowl centres generally combine ten-pin bowling with licensed bars or lounges, food and diner facilities, and amusement arcades. The UK venues normally provide at least 14 lanes, while the wider proposition is designed around family outings, group occasions, parties and casual social entertainment. The group began diversifying beyond bowling in March 2020, when it opened its first Puttstars miniature-golf centre at The Springs Retail Park in Leeds. In 2022, Hollywood Bowl Group entered Canada by acquiring Teaquinn Holdings for £21 million, stated in the reference material as equivalent to approximately CA$34 million. The transaction brought five Splitsville bowling centres and the bowling-equipment distributor Striker Bowling Solutions into the group. HBG retained Pat Haggerty as president of its Canadian operations and used Splitsville as the platform for further Canadian expansion. By 2025, the Canadian network had grown to 15 locations according to the supplied reference material. Canadian centres provide ten-pin bowling and related food, beverage and arcade facilities; three also offer five-pin bowling. The group has continued to standardise its UK estate. The last centre still operating under the AMF name, in Worthing, was converted to Hollywood Bowl in 2023 following a reported £200,000 renovation. Hollywood Bowl Group therefore represents the corporate successor to the UK AMF Bowling operation, but its present portfolio is organised around the Hollywood Bowl, Puttstars and Splitsville brands.
History
Hollywood Bowl Group traces its operating history to the British activities of AMF Bowling. AMF opened its first UK centre in Stamford Hill, North London, on 20 January 1960. Between 1967 and 1970, AMF Bowling UK acquired its first 15 centres. After Goldman Sachs purchased AMF Bowling in 1996, the UK estate expanded rapidly, increasing from 15 to 37 centres in 1997. The company then undertook a programme of refurbishment across the acquired portfolio. In 2004, certain shareholders of Bourne Leisure acquired AMF Bowling's UK-branded centres. The business continued to refurbish venues and, from 2007, opened five new UK centres. A major structural change came in August 2010, when AMF Bowling UK purchased the Hollywood Bowl business from Mitchells & Butlers. The operations were combined as The Original Bowling Company Ltd, which became the UK's largest bowling-centre operator. Some centres were sold to 1st Bowl, later known as MFA Bowl, as part of the integration. Electra Private Equity acquired The Original Bowling Company in September 2014. In April 2015, the company announced plans to buy Bowlplex. The Competition and Markets Authority reviewed the transaction, and the combined group retained ten Bowlplex locations while selling six sites to Tenpin in Bristol, Camberley, Castleford, Dudley, Glasgow and Nantgarw. Following the Bowlplex transaction, The Original Bowling Company changed its name to Hollywood Bowl Group and began bringing its UK sites together under the Hollywood Bowl identity. Hollywood Bowl Group's venue model combines bowling with complementary leisure services. UK Hollywood Bowl centres provide ten-pin bowling, licensed bars or lounges, food and diner facilities, and amusement zones containing arcade games. In March 2020, the group opened its first Puttstars miniature-golf centre at The Springs Retail Park in Leeds, establishing a second UK leisure format. The group entered Canada in 2022 by acquiring Teaquinn Holdings. The reported consideration was £21 million, or approximately CA$34 million, and the acquired assets included five Splitsville bowling centres and Striker Bowling Solutions, a bowling-equipment distributor. HBG retained Pat Haggerty as president of its Canadian operations and used Splitsville as its Canadian customer-facing brand. The Canadian concept offers ten-pin bowling, including VIP lanes at some venues, lounges and bars, arcade and redemption games, and five-pin bowling at three centres. The supplied reference material states that the Canadian network reached 15 locations by 2025. The UK brand consolidation continued through the early 2020s. In 2023, the last AMF-branded centre, in Worthing, was converted to Hollywood Bowl after a reported £200,000 renovation. The modern group consequently operates through three principal consumer brands: Hollywood Bowl in the UK, Puttstars in the UK and Splitsville in Canada. Hollywood Bowl Group is publicly listed in London and is included in the FTSE 250 Index.
- 2023
AMF-to-Hollywood Bowl conversion completed
[1]The Worthing centre became the final former AMF location in the UK to be converted to the Hollywood Bowl brand.
- 2022
Canadian market entry
[1]HBG acquired Teaquinn Holdings, including five Splitsville centres and Striker Bowling Solutions.
- 2020
Puttstars launches
[1]The first Puttstars miniature-golf centre opened at The Springs Retail Park in Leeds.
- 2015
Bowlplex acquisition and Hollywood Bowl Group rebrand
[1]The company acquired Bowlplex, retained ten sites after competition review, sold six to Tenpin, and adopted the Hollywood Bowl Group name.
- 2014
Electra Private Equity acquisition
[1]Electra Private Equity acquired The Original Bowling Company for a reported £91 million.
- 2010
The Original Bowling Company is formed
[1]AMF Bowling UK acquired the Hollywood Bowl business and combined the operations as The Original Bowling Company.
- 2004
British AMF operations change ownership
[1]Certain Bourne Leisure shareholders acquired the UK AMF-branded operations.
- 1997
UK estate expands to 37 centres
[1]Following Goldman Sachs's acquisition of AMF Bowling, the British estate grew from 15 to 37 centres in 1997 and entered a refurbishment programme.
- 1967
AMF Bowling UK begins early acquisition-led expansion
[1]AMF Bowling UK began acquiring centres and had built an initial portfolio of 15 locations by 1970.
- 1960
AMF opens its first UK bowling centre
[1]AMF Bowling opened its first British centre in Stamford Hill, North London, establishing the operating lineage that ultimately became Hollywood Bowl Group.
Products and positioning
A family-oriented, accessible leisure and social-entertainment operator combining bowling or miniature golf with food, licensed hospitality, arcades and event occasions.
UK ten-pin bowling and family-entertainment centres · 2010
Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Bowl is the group's principal UK consumer brand. Its centres provide ten-pin bowling alongside licensed bars or lounges, food and diner facilities, and amusement zones with arcade games. The venues are positioned for family visits, parties, group occasions and casual social entertainment. The supplied reference material states that each centre has at least 14 lanes.
UK miniature golf and leisure centres · 2020
Puttstars
Puttstars is Hollywood Bowl Group's miniature-golf format in the United Kingdom. The first centre opened at The Springs Retail Park in Leeds in March 2020. The format extends the group's family-entertainment proposition beyond bowling and is supported by the broader group model of food, drinks, social activity and casual group visits.
Canadian bowling and family-entertainment centres · 2022
Splitsville
Splitsville is the group's Canadian bowling-centre brand. Its venues combine ten-pin bowling, including dedicated VIP lanes at some locations, with lounges and bars, arcade and redemption games, and other family-entertainment amenities. Three Canadian centres also offer five-pin bowling. HBG acquired the operating platform through Teaquinn Holdings in 2022.
Bowling equipment distribution
Striker Bowling Solutions
Striker Bowling Solutions is a bowling-equipment distributor acquired as part of HBG's 2022 purchase of Teaquinn Holdings. It complements the group's venue operations in Canada, although the supplied material does not provide further detail on its product range or standalone commercial activities.
Brand decisions
2023
Complete UK conversion from AMF to Hollywood BowlStrategyBackground
The group continued its post-2015 effort to present a unified UK consumer brand.
Action taken
The Worthing centre, the last UK location still using the AMF name, was refurbished and rebranded as Hollywood Bowl.
Aftermath
The UK estate no longer included an AMF-branded centre according to the supplied reference material.
Reported refurbishment cost. £200,000 (2023 renovation)
2022
Acquire Teaquinn Holdings and enter CanadaM&ABackground
Hollywood Bowl Group pursued international expansion through the acquisition of a Canadian bowling operator.
Action taken
HBG acquired Teaquinn Holdings for £21 million, bringing five Splitsville centres and Striker Bowling Solutions into the group, while retaining Pat Haggerty to lead Canadian operations.
Aftermath
Splitsville became the platform for further Canadian acquisitions and new-centre development; the supplied reference material states that the network reached 15 locations by 2025.
Acquisition consideration. £21 million; approximately CA$34 million (2022 acquisition)
2020
Enter miniature golf through PuttstarsProduct launchBackground
The group sought to broaden its leisure portfolio beyond ten-pin bowling.
Action taken
HBG opened its first Puttstars miniature-golf centre at The Springs Retail Park in Leeds.
Aftermath
Puttstars became the group's UK miniature-golf brand.
2015
Acquire Bowlplex and resolve competition concerns through disposalsM&ABackground
The Original Bowling Company sought to acquire rival operator Bowlplex, requiring review by the Competition and Markets Authority.
Action taken
The company retained ten Bowlplex sites and sold six locations to Tenpin in order to address competition concerns.
Aftermath
The company rebranded as Hollywood Bowl Group and began unifying its UK estate under the Hollywood Bowl banner.
2010
Combine AMF Bowling UK with Hollywood BowlM&ABackground
AMF Bowling UK acquired the Hollywood Bowl business from Mitchells & Butlers to consolidate two UK bowling operations.
Action taken
The businesses were combined within The Original Bowling Company Ltd, creating a larger national bowling-centre operator.
Aftermath
The combined company became the operating predecessor of the current Hollywood Bowl Group.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/hollywood-bowl-group · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled