Lane7 to open first sites in Dublin as part of European push
Entertainment and leisure venue operator is set to open its first locations in Dublin as it looks to kickstart an expansion into the European market.
The group – which is opening a second London venue in Camden in October – will be opening two locations in the Irish capital in the coming months.
Lane7 has also announced the opening of its first site in continental Europe in Berlin later this month, and is targeting 10 European venues over the next two years.
The operator currently has an established portfolio of 17 boutique bowling and entertainment venues in England and Scotland including in London, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bath, Bristol, Durham, Leicester, Newcastle, and Altrincham. The group operates three brands: ‘Lane7’, its boutique bowling and gaming venue; ‘Gutterball’; and two ‘Level X’ format venues aimed at families and the youth market.
Tim Wilks, founder of Lane7, said: “It’s a very proud moment for us to be opening our first European bowling experiences in Berlin and Dublin – spreading the joy of the Lane7 experience beyond our well established and high performing UK portfolio. We have spent the past year preparing for this expansion phase of our business with our sights set firmly on Europe, where we can become a leader in the competitive socialising movement that we believe is still in its early phases. As an independent operator, we can move swiftly and with agility, from identifying the right central ‘landing zone’ locations to delivering our signature vibrant urban fit-out, and always with a unique twist that is authentic to each location.
“With a pipeline of nine new venues in the UK on track to open in 2025. Lane7 is all about providing ‘social entertainment’ with tailored attractions for different audiences and responding to the growing demand for experiential activities. In addition to bowling lanes, many of our venues – including Potsdamer Platz – allow us to offer customers electro-darts, crazy golf, beer pong and karaoke. It is this range of experiences which we are hoping to replicate across all our new venues as they roll out over the next few years.”