XP Factory plc (LON:XPF), a group of leading UK experiential leisure businesses operating under the Escape Hunt™ and Boom Battle Bar™ brands, has announced the opening of its flagship site on London’s Oxford Street and to provide an update on new site openings since the announcement on 28 September 2022 of its unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2022.
Highlights:
· Opening of flagship owner operated co-located Boom and Escape Hunt site on London’s Oxford Street on 25 November 2022
· Two further Boom owner operated sites, two Boom franchise sites, and one Escape Hunt owner operated site have opened since 28 September 2022
· 26 Boom venues currently open with a further site scheduled to open in December 2022, thereby confirming the Board’s target of 27 open Boom sites by the end of 2022 will be met
· Escape Hunt owner operated network successfully grown to 23 in the year, including 20 UK sites and 3 international sites
The Group’s flagship site on Oxford Street held an invitation only official opening on 25 November 2022, with the site open to the public from 26 November 2022. The site hosts both the Boom and Escape Hunt formats over approximately 15,000 square feet and represents the Group’s flagship site given its format, size and location. The site hosts an action-filled array of competitive activities in Boom, including augmented reality axe throwing, augmented reality darts, shuffleboard, beer/prosecco pong, karaoke, crazier golf, American pool and large screens showing selected live sports events. These complement six highly immersive and exciting escape games which come from the Group’s unique catalogue of successful, premium escape challenges.
The Oxford Street site is the 26th Boom site in the estate and the 23rd Escape Hunt owner operated site. As at 28 September 2022, the XP Factory estate comprised 21 Boom sites of which eight were owner operated and 13 franchised, and 44 Escape Hunt sites of which 21 were owner operated sites and 23 franchise sites. Since then, in addition to the site on Oxford Street, a further four Boom sites have opened – owner operated sites in Birmingham and Leeds and franchised sites in Bournemouth and Southampton. A further Escape Hunt owner operated site has also opened in Bournemouth located next door to the Boom franchise site. There is currently one further Boom franchised site in build which is scheduled to be open by the end of the calendar year. This will bring the estate to 27 open Boom sites, comprising 11 owner operated sites and 16 franchise sites; and 46 open Escape Hunt sites, comprising 23 owner operated sites and 23 franchise sites.
Commenting on the update, Richard Harpham, Chief Executive of XP Factory plc, said “We are delighted to have recently opened our flagship site on Oxford Street. Being able to secure such a premium location is testament to the Group’s success in difficult markets in the last few years and the growing attraction of experiential leisure to landlords. We have made tremendous progress this year, achieving our target of 27 open Boom sites by the end of the calendar year, positioned alongside our Escape Hunt estate of 46 sites, and setting the Group with a solid foundation for the future.”
