The group behind the Lane7 chain of high-end bowling and gaming sites and Level X gaming and entertainment venue has announced it will open a site in Dublin city centre before the end of the year.
Durham-based Lane7 is set to open two locations in London this year, including one in Victoria, as well as its largest venue to date at the Bullring in Birmingham.
The group's first location in Bath is due to open this month, and the first of several new Level X sites will open in Middlesborough in the first half of 2023.
The Dublin venue will be the group's first outside of the UK, and the Lane7 website states that a location in Belfast is "coming soon," along with sites in Nottingham, Bristol, Cardiff, York and Altrincham.
The hospitality brand offers bowling but also karaoke, mini golf, retro arcades, pool, table tennis and beer pong as well as food and drink. Level X sites also offers gaming brands like Alt-Verse and Big Putts, and a number of AI-led games and attractions
In Association with
"Making plans for an aggressive European offensive and to land hard in London with two sites this year is an enormous statement of intent. We dream big and then deliver. It’s what we do," founder and owner Tim Wilks said.
Lane7 has targeted the vacated former sites of multi-floor department stores as the footprint of the retail sector in the UK and Ireland continues to contract, and Wilks has described company's growth in the past year as "electrifying".
“When we launched the Lane7 brand ten years ago in Newcastle, the insane customer response immediately told us we had a pioneering concept that other locations across the UK would love," Wilks said.
“Every new site opening has enabled us to push the boundaries further than what even I thought possible. Every time, the customer demand has told us to keep pushing to introduce new experiences and concepts.
"We’ve been imitated many times over, which is unbelievably flattering, but every new opening, and our breathless expansion plans, show that we remain way ahead of the competition.”
Speaking to The Times of London last month, Wilks said combined sales at Level7 and Level X reached £22m last year and were projected to top £36m this year, adding that all locations were profitable.
The company's expansion is being funded by bank debt and the sale of Wilks and wife's Gillians buy-to-let properties and three pubs. Accounts show the company had net assets of £517,000 in 2021, with more than £3m in outstanding bank loans.
(Pic: Lane7)
