David Lloyd plans leisure industry return with adventure parks

Industry entrepreneur David Lloyd, who developed David Lloyd Leisure clubs in the UK and Next Generation Clubs in Australia and Europe, is planning a return to the leisure industry with a new multi-activity concept - David Lloyd’s Adventure Parks.

Lloyd is planning to open 12 venues by 2021, with business partners Holmes Investment Properties, as he aims to tap into the £4 billion (US$4.91 billion) UK leisure industry.

Each park is expected to cost an average of £4 to £5 million (US$4.9 to US$6.4 million) to develop.

11 sites near cities and large towns with good transport links are under review and planning permission is being sought for them. The first park is expected to open by the end of 2017.

Echoing the rise in multi-activity adventure and entertainment centre, each of Lloyd’s new parks will offer zip wires, soft play, trampolining and climbing walls attractions along with F&B and retail outlets.

Lloyd has a 20-year contract with Holmes Investment Properties, which will fund and build the activity centres.

Lloyd has built two multi-million-pound businesses from scratch - David Lloyd Leisure, founded in 1982, and along with his son, Scott Lloyd, Next Generation Clubs, set up in 1996.

In 2013, TDR Capital purchased the combined group of 94 clubs for more than £700 million (US$859 million) to create David Lloyd Clubs.

His business model with both ventures was to never purchase land, instead looking to partner with existing landowners to develop the popular fitness, racquet and aquatic facilities.

Lloyd, Executive Chairman and majority shareholder in David Lloyd’s Adventure Parks explains “I built some of the first commercial leisure venues in the UK and they were also some of the largest, most profitable and most popular centres in the country.

“As the market evolves, we are bringing together rare to find, but easy to love new activities from climbing walls to zip wires and the biggest collection of trampolines in one place. I’ve got thirty-four years’ experience in the sector, and we will be using everything that we have learnt to make our new adventure parks the best activity centres in the country.”

Holmes Investment Properties Chief Executive Martin Helme added “David Lloyd is the most successful leisure entrepreneur in Europe, and he now wants to concentrate on building an exciting new business that people will flock to.

“The UK market continues to expand by about 150 venues per annum and ‘David Lloyd’s Adventure Parks’ will be part of this growth. Holmes Investment Properties are property experts and it makes sense to leave the funding and building to us. We are at the start of a fantastic 20-year adventure.”

Image: High Ropes Course at Deeside Leisure Centre Flintshire by Innovative Leisure Ltd

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