The Oracle: Issue #4

THE ORACLE 

THE OFFICIAL GAMECHANGERS MAGAZINE 

ISSUE #4 

APR 24 

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GAMECHANGERS

THE ORACLE - APR ISSUE - #04 

THE POWER 

OF PLAY 

Welcome to the latest edition of The Oracle, 

your e-zine for the competitive socialising, 

immersive gaming and interactive leisure 

sector. 

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It’s nearly here! Competitive 

Socialising – The Power of Play is 

only days away. On May 9, Inntegra 

and Home Leisure Direct will open 

the doors at The Lighthouse, 

Camberwell and welcome around 

1,000 people from across the 

industry. 

The event will be packed with 

insights, networking opportunities 

and the chance to sample some 

of the best food, drink and 

entertainment this wonderful area 

of hospitality has to offer. 

There’s still time to register 

you and your teams to attend 

by visiting here. 

This year will see the winners 

of the first ever Competitive 

Socialising Awards revealed. You 

can check out the finalists on 

page 12. 

There’s loads more content for you 

to get your teeth into this issue, 

including our exclusive interview 

with Roxy Leisure Managing 

Director Ben Warren. We also 

stepped up to the oche for a day 

in trade with the team from comp 

soc pioneers Flight Club. 

These are businesses at the top 

of their game in what remains an 

exciting yet challenging sector. 

Just before we went to press 

on this issue, London gaming 

operator Platform announced it 

was closing its doors, serving as 

reminder as to just how tough 

trading conditions are. 

Gamechangers exists to celebrate 

and support the sector in a variety 

of ways and we look forward to 

catching up with you about that 

and so much more in London in 

May. 

For more information please visit our website or call 0344 892 0399 

OR EMAIL flatstonepizza@brake.co.uk 

Sharon Dickinson, Commercial 

Director & Content Editor 

3


Editor-in-Chief 

Matt Eley 

matt@gamechangers.org.uk 

Commercial Director & Content Editor 

Sharon Dickinson 

sharon@gamechangers.org.uk 

Graphics & Design 

Cieran de Valmency 

cieran@gamechangers.org.uk 

This Month’s Contributors 

Luke Elford, Partner, John Gaunt & Partners 

Katie Jenkins, Marketing & Partnerships Director, KAM 

Molly Davis, Head of Communications, BII 

Advertising Opportunities 

oracle@gamechangers.org.uk 

CEO & Founder, Gamechangers 

Jade Craig 

jade@gamechangers.org.uk 

Hospitality Consultant, Gamechangers 

Kelly Mortimer 

kelly@gamechangers.org.uk 

The Oracle 

Gamechangers Organisation Ltd 

Coach House, Ryeford 

Stonehouse, Gloucestershire 

GL10 3HG 

CHAIRMAN’S 

FOREWORD 

With great pleasure I introduce the fourth 

issue of The Oracle, which finds the 

Gamechangers team looking forward to 

Competitive Socialising – The Power of Play. 

We will be back at the Camberwell 

Theatre on May 9 for our biggest 

event yet. Powered by Inntegra 

and with headline sponsor Home 

Leisure Direct, the expo this 

year is supported by 45 partner 

organisations and over 40 

exhibitors. 

Repeat visitors to will know 

they will be treated to impactful 

presentations reflecting on what 

has been an extremely active year 

for the comp soc industry. 

A brand new addition to the 2024 

is the Competitive Socialising 

Awards. The judging panel, made 

up of non-operator members 

of the Gamechangers Advisory 

Board, have spent many an hour 

in deliberation due to the very high 

calibre of nominations received. 

Make sure you secure your ticket 

for the event to see our well- 

deserved winners crowned. 

We, at All Star Lanes, were delighted 

to host the Gamechangers BDM & 

Sales meet-up back in February. 

The next event, the BDM & Sales 

Tournament, will be taking place 

at Flight Club Bloomsbury in June. 

This is just one of the many diverse 

events hosted by Gamechangers 

that add real value and learning 

opportunities to our operator 

members. 

Our recent partnering with TNT 

Sports also saw the Gamechangers 

team on a study tour to Manchester 

(page 38). Details of the TNT 

Sports offer and the benefits to 

members are all on our website in 

the member portal. 

If you are yet to become a 

Gamechangers member and want 

to know more visit the homepage 

to find out about what we have to 

offer. 

That’s all from me for now, I hope 

you find this issue of interest 

and I look forward to welcoming 

you all to this year’s Competitive 

Socialising – The Power of Play 

2024. 

With very best wishes, 

Graham Cook, 

Chairman of Gamechangers 

THE ORACLE 

4 

5


08 

EVENT 

Competitive Socialising: 

The Power of Play 

Experience the Power 

of Play at this year’s 

big event 

19 

OPERATOR INSIGHT 

We Roll with Roxy 

Games galore with the 

multiple operator 

29 

LICENSING ADVICE 

Potential Pitfalls 

Luke Elford looks at common licensing 

issues and how to tackle them 

36 

THE PUB 

PERSPECTIVE 

Providing a Career 

Platform 

The BII launches Workforce for all 

CONTENTS 

Editor’s pick! 

38 

VENUE TOUR 

Made in Manchester 

We join TNT Sports, KAM and more on a trip 

around the city’s top spots 

26 

12 

EVENT 

Competitive Socialising Awards 

Meet the finalists in our inaugural awards 

MEET THE BOARD 

Joby Mortimer 

The Brakes boss gives 

us food for thought 

32 

RESEARCH 

The Benefits of 

Benefits 

KAM looks at giving new 

recruits a fuller picture of 

life in the job 

40 

EVENT 

Comp Soc Networking 

We bring BDMs together at our 

Gamechangers meet-up 

16 

23 

MEET THE SUPPLIER 

Polaris 

Elements 

The hospitality tech experts are here 

to help 

ORACLE ABOUT TOWN 

Flight Club at the 

Double 

We hit the bullseye with the 

comp soc pioneers 

42 

WHAT’S NEW 

Changing the Game 

We cast an eye on new openings 

and ideas in the world of 

competitive socialising 

6 

7


Leading figures from the industry will 

get their game faces on at Competitive 

Socialising – The Power of Play in London 

on 9th May 

Around 1,000 guests from across 

the industry will attend the event 

at The Lighthouse in London’s 

Camberwell. The event, run by 

Inntegra and Home Leisure Direct, 

is now in its fourth year and is 

firmly established as a key date 

in the competitive socialising and 

wider hospitality industry diary. 

Keynote speakers include BII chief 

executive Steve Alton, Roxy Leisure 

managing director Ben Warren, 

Lucky Voice boss Charlie Elek and 

Red Engine marketing director 

Juliette Keyte. Further industry 

insights will be provided by KAM at 

the event hosted by Graham Cook, 

Gamechangers chairman and chief 

executive of All Star Lanes. 

Gamechangers and Inntegra 

founder Jade Craig said: “We 

launched Competitive Socialising 

– The Power of Play back in 2020 

as I was inspired by how this sector 

evolved to suit customer demands 

and operated with passion and 

vision. 

“We look forward to a day packed 

with insights as we learn and 

celebrate this industry. The aim of 

our event is to create a community 

for networking and best practice.” 

For the full line-up of speakers plus 

ticketing information please click 

here. 

The event will continue into the 

night with suppliers providing 

food, drink and the latest gaming 

technology along with live music, 

DJs and drag acts. 

Stars of the sector will also 

be celebrated in the first ever 

Competitive Socialising Awards 

(see pages 12-15), highlighting 

the continued innovation, hard 

work and quality customer service 

provided by the sector. 

The Oracle will be reporting back in 

the next issue on a day that is set to 

be packed with insight, inspiration 

and business building ideas. 

INNTEGRA 

CLICK HERE TO 

GET YOUR 

TICKETS 

TODAY! 

8 

SAME EPIC VENUE + ALL NEW AV SYSTEM 

9TH MAY 2024 

LIGHTHOUSE THEATRE, LONDON 

9


Multi-Site Operator 

of the Year 

Menu of the 

Year 

Best Marketing 

Campaign 

Sixes 

Meet the contenders in our inaugural industry awards 

TOCA Social 

TOCA linked up with England 

skipper Harry Kane to launch 

the Record-Breaker Burger 

to celebrate his goalscoring 

record and to raise money for 

charity 

Oche 

A menu that is woven into the 

darts experience and pairs 

food with play by offering 

options that can easily be 

enjoyed between games 

without interrupting the flow 

The cricket specialists 

continue to get more people to 

pick up a bat and have a swing 

with sites opening across the 

UK and beyond. 

Everyone be upstanding and raise a 

glass to the first ever finalists in the 

Competitive Socialising Awards. 

Advisory Board have the tough task 

of picking the winners in 10 hard 

fought categories. 

Some of the biggest names in 

competitive socialising, immersive 

gaming and interactive leisure are 

in contention to pick up a prize 

at the ceremony at Competitive 

Socialising in London on May 9. 

The Gamechangers Organisation 

Whoever comes out on top will be 

truly deserving champions of the 

trade, as the shortlist alone helps 

to reveal some of the exciting and 

innovative work in evidence in our 

sector. 

Here are the runners and riders… 

CLICK HERE TO 

GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY! 

Roxy 

The opening of the Roxy 

Ball Room in York was 

backed with a wide-ranging 

campaign including a media 

collaboration, out of home, PR 

and an exciting opening night. 

The Bowls Club London 

The team works with premium 

street food vendors to ensure 

this is a lawn green bowls 

experience like no other. 

Roxy 

Roxy continues to bring the 

playground to the bar at its 

expanding portfolio of venues. 

10 


9TH MAY 2024 


11


Newcomer of the Year 

Company of the Year 

Jungle Rumble /One 

Under 

The flourishing crazy golf 

operators have added three 

new venues to the UK with 

more to come in 2024. 

Arrowsmiths 

The O’Neill’s atmosphere 

combined with darts at the 

digital oche – now six sites 

across the UK. 

Boulebar 

A brand new bar spreading the 

word of petanque, with more 

sites on the way. 

Big Fang Collective 

They are proudly ‘disruptive, 

diverse and different’ and 

‘push the boundaries’ at their 

six crazy golf sites. 

Clays 

They’ve made a traditional 

sport accessible for all and 

put excellence at the centre of 

everything they do. 

Outdoor Venue of the Year 

Independent Venue of the Year 

The Bowls Club London 

Traditional lawn bowls pops-up 

in the heart of London with a 

contemporary twist featuring 

live music, food and drink. 

Boulebar 

An evening in Marseille is 

brought to London’s South 

Bank where guests can play 

petanque and enjoy Pastis and 

street food. 

SFG Club / Roof East 

Enjoy stunning views across 

the capital as you play a range 

of games or enjoy a cinematic 

experience. 

Fairgame 

All the fun of the fair, like never 

before at the Canary Wharf 

based concept. 

Carousel 

Delivering in Lincoln since 

2021, Carousel gives guests 

multiple ways of having a night 

to remember. 

Floodgate 

Brimingham’s self-titled plucky 

underdogs offer a range of 

games including baseball 

cages and UV curling. 

12 


9TH MAY 2024 


13


Greatest Guest Experience 

Activity of the Year 

F1 Arcade 

The arcade racing specialists 

“meticulously map and 

analyse the customer journey, 

embracing feedback as a tool 

for growth and refinement.” 

TOCA Social 

A social and dining experience 

built on immersive footballbased 

games that were 

created with the aim of getting 

everyone to play the most 

popular sport in the world. 

Whistle Punks 

The axe-throwing masters 

take pride in hiring the best 

instructors who are the key to 

their business and customer 

experience. 

Roxy 

Crazy Pool is Roxy’s exclusive 

game that combines mini-golf 

and pool and is now available 

at eight of Roxy’s 18 venues. 

Pop Playrooms 

Pop Golf encourages guests 

to have a ball by playing in a 

music video and finding the 

perfect photo on every hole. 

TOCA Social 

TOCA’s football based games 

give players the chance to 

show their skills in a unique 

environment. 

Venue of the Year 

Flight Club 

Social darts brings groups 

together for unbeatable 

moments of “unexpected, 

ridiculous, joy”. 

Hijingo 

Innovative shows with cuttingedge 

tech such give customers 

the chance to win cash prizes. 

Fairgame 

The world’s first immersive 

fairground combines nostalgic 

games with top tech to create 

epic moments and memories. 

Golf Fang Cardiff 

Big, bold, beautiful and with a 

30ft slide to enjoy during your 

round – what’s not to like! 

TOCA Social 

Giving customers the chance 

to enjoy the world’s biggest 

sport in a thrilling new way 

with guest experience at the 

heart of the offer. 

Monopoly Lifesized 

Play the game like you never 

have before and immerse 

yourself in a fantasy Monopoly 

world. 

CLICK HERE TO 

GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY! 

14 


9TH MAY 2024 


15


Polaris Elements boss Neil Westwater explains how 

the hospitality software experts can help competitive 

socialising venues level up 

How long have you been 

involved in the hospitality 

sector? 

“I started my career in hospitality 

at the age of 23. I was working for 

S&N, when an opportunity to work 

for this family business arose. At 

the time we were a payroll business 

across multiple sectors including 

medicine and real estate. We were 

working alongside a software 

company which we subsequently 

bought in 2010. 

“Today our business is 100% 

hospitality, including competitive 

socialising venues – an area in 

growth. 

“The Polaris family has an 

experienced team within hospitality 

with an extensive operator 

background, so we understand the 

challenges. My in-laws have been 

in hospitality all their lives and bring 

an invaluable wealth of insight into 

the company. 

“Whilst longevity doesn’t guarantee 

success it certainly indicates 

stability success.” 

How has Polaris expanded 

its offer? 

“Over the past 14 years the 

business has grown its offer – 

we are not just about EPOS. We 

offer a one-stop-shop, a forwardthinking 

attitude and can include 

payroll, workforce management, 

business management, loyalty 

cards and gift cards. We have real 

MEET POLARIS 

ELEMENTS 

time reporting using 35 metrics for 

sales forecasting and an ordering 

service.” 

How do you work with your 

customers within competitive 

socialising venues? 

“These are unique venues that 

require significant investment 

which maximises their returns 

and enables longevity. Consumers 

are demanding operators 

continue their investment and 

the longstanding operators have 

to step up their offer through 

technology. 

“Polaris has also invested and 

committed to continuously 

ensuring that our technology is up 

to date, convenient and efficient. 

We strive to evolve with operators 

to keep up with high street 

demands. 

“Our industry is fast-paced and 

innovative and we as tech partners 

need to be too. Our goal is to 

allow the operators to streamline 

by having all the information they 

need in one place.” 

How do you work with 

operators from a nonhospitality 

background? 

“We have noticed, particularly with 

competitive socialising businesses, 

there are a lot of operators who 

have come in from different 

backgrounds. Tech backgrounds 

bring must-have knowledge into 

these businesses but operational 

savvy is where Polaris thrives. 

“You know what 

Neil, when I see 

your costs on my 

P&L, I’m just really 

pleased they are 

there, as I know 

that the returns 

that we get in the 

business are so 

significant that it 

gives me peace of 

mind.” 

We provide a side-by-side business 

model by offering strategy and 

future proofing products to make 

this element of the business 

efficient and convenient. A client 

has a direct point of contact who is 

on hand to guide and advise.” 

What can Polaris offer for 

Gamechangers members? 

Polaris can introduce its customer 

base to the extensive support 

infrastructure that is available 

through this trade organisation. 

Now more than ever, operators are 

looking for services that enable 

them to evolve based on consumer 

demand, manage changes in 

legislation, and create opportunity 

to effectively scale their business. If 

we can help facilitate that then we 

have done our job. 

What can we expect in the 

future from Polaris? 

“Well, the Polaris Personality 

guarantees our commitment to 

work with every customer with a 

tailored programme unique to their 

needs. 

“We continue to evolve our 

technology, remain relevant, always 

be consistent, build relationships 

and be a valuable resource 

ensuring the best P&L a business 

could expect. 

“One of the nicest things I have 

heard was when a customer said 

– ‘You know what Neil, when I see 

your costs on my P&L, I’m just 

really pleased they are there, as I 

know that the returns that we get in 

the business are so significant that 

it gives me peace of mind.” 

Neil Westwater, UK & Europe 

CEO at Polaris Elements 

For more information visit 

www.polaris-elements.co.uk 

MEET THE SUPPLIER 

16 

17


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Operator members have saved 50% off developing websites for their venues 

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One operator saved circa £20,000 in contracting services for branding, 

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The Oracle talks gaming, growth and comp soc competition with 

Roxy Managing Director Ben Warren 

How long have you worked 

in hospitality? 

“Since I was 20, so that would make 

it 25 years! I have successfully 

worked my way up through the 

industry, working with some 

amazing people and exploring the 

best of hospitality. This includes 

bartending in Marbella, working 

at late-night bars, clubs and fivestar 

dining in the UK. I settled into 

competitive socialising around 

2008 – back when they were called 

pool halls – and then to being 

part of the Roxy journey from the 

beginning in 2013.” 

What is the concept at 

Roxy? 

“We describe Roxy as bringing 

the playground to the bar, with a 

huge variety of games all under 

one roof and massive rock and 

indie tunes. Today’s venues pack in 

more games than ever, with a huge 

drinks selection and a food menu 

which goes hand in hand. 

Roxy’s fun vibe is reflected in 

the decor, with neon lights, bold 

patterns and graffiti-style art 

providing lots of insta-worthy photo 

opportunities.” 

How has trading been this 

year compared to last? 

“Similar to industry reports, 2024 

has been tougher than 2023 so far. 

We are lucky to be surrounded by a 

great team that enables us to stay 

focused on our journey. This has 

seen us grow and evolve hugely 

in the past 12 months, opening 

new sites in Birmingham, Cardiff, 

Cheltenham, Leicester, a third site 

in Liverpool, and most recently 

York. For Roxy this has been a 

great year of growth that we are 

proud of. 

Our recently refurbished original 

site in Leeds has seen like-for-like 

sales jump higher than anticipated 

and with other refurbs planned 

for this year we feel the venues 

are well-placed for the challenge 

ahead. 

We have also launched a 

new division – King Pins in 

Manchester, which focuses on 

the family market, opening more 

opportunities for the company. 

Overall, the team has quickly 

combated any tough trade 

with innovation and new ideas, 

constantly evolving our venues, 

marketing ideas, and ways of 

working.” 

19


Can you tell us about any 

future plans? 

“Our Property Director Tom 

Hodgson is stacking up the pipeline 

as we speak, with a new Roxy 

Lanes due to open in Nottingham 

this summer which will be our 

second site in the city. This will 

be quickly followed by planned 

projects in London and elsewhere 

around the country. The target is to 

open six sites a year across Roxy 

Leisure and King Pins. 

Our games just get better each 

year, as third parties develop more 

accessible technology for darts 

and digital shuffleboard. It opens 

up the variety of games we can 

offer under one roof. 

With each venue we build we seem 

to get better, so the future is really 

exciting.” 

Why is becoming a 

Gamechangers member 

important to you? 

“Our Head of Marketing sent me 

this recently: 

‘At Roxy, competitive socialising 

isn’t just a pastime or another 

hospitality concept; it’s about 

embracing the spirit of play, 

fostering connections, and creating 

moments that resonate deeply with 

our guests. It’s about crafting an 

experience where every visit is an 

adventure—a chance to escape the 

ordinary and immerse oneself in the 

extraordinary.’ 

So, when I spoke to the team at 

Gamechangers, I felt that this was 

a journey we are all now on and we 

are keen to support this at Roxy. 

Gaming will be a big part of the 

hospitality scene in the years to 

come.” 

How do you see the 

competitive socialising 

sector evolving? 

“Hospitality is such a creative 

industry and competitive 

socialising venues will bring out 

the best in those operators who 

are able to offer something unique. 

The sector is becoming a little 

crowded with some cannibalisation 

happening, as operators are simply 

copying what other people do 

without much innovation. 

The sector will continue to grow, 

however you have to be the best at 

what you do in that micro sector to 

really succeed. 

Ben Warren, Managing 

Director of Roxy Leisure 

An example would be for us in 

Leeds, we were the only operator 

offering games a few years ago, 

now there are 12 choices of 

competitive socialising venues for 

the Leeds population to choose 

from when heading out. There 

are only so many customers to go 

around. We still perform really well, 

but we believe that’s due to being 

the best in our sector.” 


roxyleisure.co.uk 

Want to be 

showcased next? 

Get in touch today: 


20 

21


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WITH FOOD, 

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CHECKING OUT 

WITH FLIGHT CLUB 

The Oracle steps up to the oche for a memorable darts tour 

around London 

THE ORACLE ABOUT TOWN 

MULTI-SERVE 

COCKTAIL 

MIXER 

Energy Drinks Have 

Never Tasted So Good 

Portfolio also includes the OG 

Darts has been hitting the 

headlines lately, thanks largely 

to the emergence of teenage 

sensation Luke Littler. 

But a business around half his age 

has been making a splash in the 

world of hospitality since 2015. 

Flight Club launched its first social 

darts venue in Shoreditch less 

than 10 years ago. It brought the 

traditional pub game bang up to 

date for a tech-savvy generation 

and has helped pave the way 

for countless other competitive 

socialising concepts. 

The brand is growing strong with 

12 sites across the UK, franchises 

in the USA and Australia and more 

in the pipeline. 

With game-face on, The Oracle 

met with the team from parent 

company Red Engine to see if we 

could hit the bullseye. 

The Oracle took game number one 

and celebrated all too vigorously 

on footage that was caught on the 

Flight Club cameras. 

Flight Club, Victoria 

When founders Steve Moore and 

Paul Barham were toying with 

ideas and playing darts in a shed, 

it’s hard to believe they could have 

imagined something on the scale 

of the Victoria site. 

You enter via a helter-skelter 

staircase before reaching an 

eye-opening space featuring all the 

fun of the fair. 

The impressive bar sits in the heart 

of the floor with 18 oches carefully 

positioned around the main room. 

With space for 650 people, it’s the 

biggest Flight Club around. 

Like all Flight Clubs, Victoria offers 

full drinks and food menus, plus the 

added bonus of the Magic Garden 

outside space. 

It means that customers go for 

more than just a quick game of 

darts before heading elsewhere. 

In fact, while half of Flight Club’s 

guests are there to play darts, 50 

per cent are happy to simply enjoy 

food, drink and the social side of 

things. 

To order your POS Kit or find out more, email connect@ccep.com, call 0808 1 000 000 or visit my.ccep.com. While stocks last. *Source Hospitality outlets 2CV - Energy Audience U&A, May 2022, GB 

22 

23



flightclubdarts.com 

The Oracle came to play, so we 

step up to game number one, 

Demolition. It’s a race down from 

180 to 0. Unlike traditional darts 

you don’t have to finish on a double, 

making it more accessible for all. 

The Oracle took game number one 

and celebrated all too vigorously 

on footage that was caught on 

the Flight Club cameras. 

Flight Club, Bloomsbury 

Where Flight Club differs 

from some other venues with 

darts-based games is that there 

is no screen projected onto the 

board. It’s the seemingly simple 

set-up of players throwing darts at 

traditional boards, just like people 

have been doing in pubs for years. 

Cameras capture the flight and 

record every arrow thrown. 

On The Oracle’s tour not a single 

throw failed to register. It means 

game play is reliable, fun and 

understandable. 

The Flight Club team are always 

developing new ideas, some based 

on darts games that have been 

passed down the generations. 

At Flight Club, Bloomsbury, we 

played Shanghai, which is a 

variation on the classic darts game 

‘around the world’. 

We also played Donkey Derby, 

in which you aim to move your 

nag forward and your opponents 

backwards. 

While still playing to win, the 

sourdough pizzas, padron 

peppers and drinks served up in 

Bloomsbury may have taken the 

edge off any competitive hunger. 

Flight Club, Islington 

No two Flight Clubs are the same. 

While there are behemoth sites 

such as Victoria and Cardiff there 

are also smaller, neighbourhood 

venues. 

Islington falls into the latter 

category with a local pub feel about 

it. That said, it still features all the 

stylish design cues – fairground 

horses, grandfather clocks, cheeky 

wallpaper – evident throughout the 

estate. 

We got down to some serious 

gaming here, starting with Quack 

Shot – six rounds of trying to hit the 

bullseye and avoid the ‘ring of fire’. 

This was followed up with a 

game familiar to many pub darts 

players, Killer. This brings out 

the competitive edge as you try 

to become a ‘killer’ and take out 

opponents by targeting their 

number. 

The Oracle had the instinct and 

was far more lethal than any guest 

should be. 

Flight Club, Shoreditch 

We ended where it all started, at the 

original Flight Club site. The venue 

was buzzing with parties and an 

early after work crowd by the time 

The Oracle arrived. 

It was only right that we got into the 

spirit in a literal sense by tucking 

into some Flight Club slushies. 

Gaming was concluded by playing 

Snakes & Ladders. It’s a tactical 

variation on the board game where 

the number of spaces you move 

is determined by what you hit on 

the darts board. It was a fun and 

strategic way to end an epic tour. 

Our day was over, but in a classy 

touch that customers all enjoy, the 

very next day we received an email 

showing highlights and photos 

from our time at the oche – making 

The Oracle keen to do it all again. 

Want to be 

showcased next? 

Get in touch today: 


24 

25


“It’s ultimately 

about enabling 

members to 

flourish...” 

As a founding member of the 

Gamechangers board Joby 

Mortimer is on a mission help the 

competitive socialising sector 

thrive. 

He brings years of industry 

experience to the table, not least 

from his current role as Brakes’ 

Corporate Hospitality Director. 

Joby says: “Getting involved with 

Gamechangers is a bit of a no 

brainer. It is needed. The trade 

bodies we have got all do a brilliant 

job but we need our own voice for 

competitive socialising and we 

need to make sure we are relevant 

and aligned with the broader 

campaigning.” 

He is keen for more operators to 

join Gamechangers and enjoy 

Joby Mortimer 

Corporate Hospitality Director, Brakes 

In his role at Brakes, Joby 

helps to fuel the nation’s pubs 

and clubs. As a Gamechangers 

board member he is now 

providing members and suppliers 

with food for thought. 

benefits that include huge savings 

on services and advice from 

experts in their fields. 

“The board has a great mix 

of people with operators and 

suppliers and non-execs. We have 

people who run businesses and 

have been through significant 

growth. There’s a lot of expertise 

on that board that will really help 

operators maximise their learning 

potential.“ 

“It’s not expensive 

to join. We already 

have members who 

have saved multiple 

years’ worth of 

membership 

through the support 

that’s out there.” 

He adds: “What we really want 

is to create a platform that helps 

operators share best practice with 

each other. If you are a really good 

operator and you want to take that 

leap and expand, you will be able 

to talk to other operators in that 

space who have been through that 

journey.” 

From his experience at Brakes he 

can help businesses understand 

the role food can play in 

competitive socialising venues. 

He continues: “It’s hugely important 

because if a group of people are 

going out the chances are they 

will have a plan to eat at some 

point. If a business does not have 

a food offering it will lose those 

customers. 

“It needs to be good quality food 

that they can enjoy while they are 

with you. 

“You don’t need a huge team of 

trained chefs. With concepts such 

as the Brakes Flatstone Pizza you 

can offer a great range of pizzas 

for meat eaters, vegan, vegetarian, 

gluten free – across the range. It’s 

low skill, high margin and I’ve yet 

to meet anyone who doesn’t like 

pizza.” 

Whether it is adding a food offer, 

staffing, law, growing a business 

or opening another site, the 

Gamechangers team is on hand to 

help members along the way. 

Joby adds: “It’s ultimately about 

enabling members to flourish, 

encouraging them to learn from 

each other and for us as a board 

giving Gamechangers the right 

guidance and support to shape 

their thinking and navigate through 

the incredibly choppy waters we 

face right now.” 

When The Oracle catches up with 

Joby, he is just days away from 

embarking on a Pedalling for Pubs 

adventure in Kenya. 

The initiative has helped people 

back into work and raised vast 

sums for two vital charities. 

As an industry stalwart with 

hospitality in his heart, it is no 

surprise that Joby is in the thick of 

the action with riders from across 

the sector. 

He says: “It’s a big challenge but 

we’re on a mission together to raise 

funds for two hospitality charities 

– Only a Pavement Away and The 

Licensed Trade Charity.” 

Whether it is Pedalling for Pubs 

or helping competitive socialising 

businesses stay on track, Joby is 

up for the challenge. 

Get your kitchen up 

and running in no time 

Brakes is the UK’s leading pub food supplier, with over 15,000 

products available to choose from including ready to go menus. 

For more information visit www.brake.co.uk or connect through 

a Gamechangers Organisation membership today. 

MEET THE BOARD MEMBER 

26 

27


THE MAGIC OF CAPRI 

THE PREMISES 

LICENCE 

PITFALL PLAYBOOK 

Can’t wait to open that perfect new site? 

Keep a close eye on potential licensing dilemmas 


TRY IT MIXED! 

DI CAPRI 

TONIC 

INGREDIENTS 

50 ml Limoncello Di Capri 

150 ml Tonic water 

Sprig of mint 

Lemon zest 

PREPARATION 

Pour all the ingredients into a highball glass filled 

with ice. Stir and garnish with a sprig of mint and a 

lemon zest. 

DI CAPRI 

SPRITZ 

INGREDIENTS 

75 ml Prosecco 

50 ml Limoncello Di Capri 

25 ml Soda 

Sprig of mint 

Lemon twist 

PREPARATION 

Pour all the ingredients into a white wine goblet, 

add ice cubes and stir. Garnish with a sprig of mint 

and a lemon twist. 

Why do “experiences” 

require “experience” when 

it comes to obtaining a 

licence? 

One of the things that I love the 

most about the competitive 

socialising/experiential leisure/ 

experience economy (call it what 

you will) is that the possibilities 

are endless and limited only by 

the imagination of those bringing 

concepts to the table. 

That said, there are significant 

pitfalls for the unwary; particularly 

with premises licensing. 

I’m going to go through some of 

the scenarios that I come across 

on a day-to-day basis with the hope 

of imparting some knowledge for 

those looking at new concepts, or 

even new sites for existing ones. 

“Luke, we’ve found this killer 

site. It’s dead central. It 

doesn’t have a licence, but 

Luke Elford, Partner at John 

Gaunt & Partners Licensing 

Solictors 

we reckon it should be easy 

enough to get a 2am licence.” 

Welcome to the wonderful world 

of Cumulative Impact Area (CIA) 

policies. Cumulative impact could 

be the subject of its own article, but 

in brief, cumulative impact is where 

29


a concentration of licensed venues 

is causing a negative impact 

on one or more of the licensing 

objectives (crime and disorder, 

public safety, public nuisance, and 

the protection of children from 

harm) and the negative impact 

can’t be attributed, for example, to 

a particular venue being run poorly. 

CIA policies range from a 

bargaining tool for responsible 

authorities (police, environmental 

health etc.) through to almost being 

a barrier on new licences being 

granted. I say almost because CIA 

policies can never amount to an 

outright bar on new licences being 

granted and would be unlawful if 

they did. 

Prospective operators are welladvised 

to have a look at the 

prevailing licensing policy before 

signing up to anything. 

“We’ve signed a lease 

on a great new venue. 

It’s licensed and ready to 

go. It used to be a [insert 

restaurant chain].” 

Just because a venue has a licence 

does not mean the licence is 

going to be right for an incoming 

operator. It is so important that 

you have someone look at what 

you’re taking before you take it 

and, if necessary, make any deal 

contingent on being able to obtain 

the right kind of licence for your 

venue. 

Many restaurants will have 

conditions on their licences that 

oblige customers to have food to 

be served with alcohol. This is also 

known as a “restaurant condition.” 

This kind of condition isn’t going to 

work for a competitive socialising 

venue where the focus tends to 

be the experience rather than 

the grub. Where competitive 

socialising venues do serve food, 

that food tends to be ancillary to 

the gaming and sale of alcohol. 

Even if a former restaurant doesn’t 

have a full restaurant condition, 

there are other conditions that can 

make life difficult. Some licences 

will explicitly state that food must 

be available when alcohol is 

being sold. Others might say that 

customers must be seated, and 

that service can only be via waiter 

or waitress. 

Changing conditions on a licence 

is not always an easy process. In 

some instances, the conditions 

will have been imposed by the 

council’s licensing sub-committee 

and officers can be reluctant to see 

them changed or moved. 

“Right, so I have taken over 

a venue from an outgoing 

operator. It has a licence but 

the place was a mess, so I’ve 

completely gutted and refitted 

it.” 

Every licence in England and Wales 

should have appended to it (or 

squirreled away on a council file 

somewhere) a plan that discloses 

the approved layout of the venue. 

Believe it or not, that layout is 

effectively a condition of the 

licence and if you want to make 

changes to it, a variation may be 

required. The type of variation 

depends on the changes you 

are making. In the scenario I 

have presented (a complete 

refurbishment) it is likely that the 

operator would need to apply for 

a variation or even a new licence 

altogether. If the layout changes 

are less severe, perhaps only taking 

place in back of house area or 

moving some seating around, that 

kind of thing, then a minor variation 

would need to be applied for. 

Either way, there’s going to be a 

delay whilst the new layout gets 

approved. In extreme cases that 

delay could run to three to six 

months. 

“We open in two weeks, and 

we have just discovered that 

the licence we thought we 

had lapsed several years 

ago. Save us.” 

I honestly wake up in cold sweats 

about this one. I have seen it more 

times than I wish to count, and it 

is so easily avoided by getting 

someone to have a look at the 

licensing situation before pressing 

go. 

What can be done depends on 

how the licence lapsed. Now it 

may be that the outgoing person 

hasn’t paid the annual fees and 

the council have suspended the 

licence. In those circumstances 

the licence can be revived, but it’ll 

involve payment of what’s owed. 

Fees will have accrued annually 

so if a venue has been closed for a 

long time then we could be talking 

about thousands of pounds. 

Even worse is when the company 

that held the licence has been 

dissolved and the licence has 

lapsed through the insolvency 

of that company. Unless prompt 

action was taken at the time of 

insolvency; that licence is goneski, 

and an application for a new 

premises licence will need to be 

made. There are creative things 

that can be done with Temporary 

Event Notices, but the reality is that 

similar to the layout issue above, 

there’s going to be some delay. 

I don’t raise these scenarios to 

frighten anybody, and I certainly 

don’t want to dissuade people 

from trying new things or moving 

into new areas. My point is, do your 

homework and this is where an 

organisation like Gamechangers 

can really help you. Included 

within your membership package 

are various helplines including 

one, provided by yours truly, on 

licensing. Members can ring that 

number, we can have a chat and 

hopefully avoid the kind of issues 

I’ve highlighted above. 

Need help understanding how the latest legislation affects your business? 

Gamechangers members receive access to a free 24 hour legal & licensing helpline. Join today to save time, money and headaches! 

Join Today 

30 

31


THE BENEFITS OF 

SHOUTING ABOUT 

BENEFITS 

Recruiters are missing a trick by not giving candidates a full 

picture of the plusses 

There are many ways I would 

describe people who choose 

to work within the hospitality 

industry… sociable, hard-working, 

and passionate are a few words 

that spring to mind. Words I 

definitely wouldn’t tend to use are 

shy and standoffish! 

And yet although this industry 

is generally very good at 

communicating and connecting 

with our customers and potential 

customers, KAM’s recent research, 

in partnership with Growth 

Partners, suggests we are less 

skilled at communicating with our 

own employees, and even worse 

with potential employees. 

The research shows us that 

hospitality businesses are not 

effectively communicating many 

things when they’re trying to recruit, 

including employee benefits: 

75% of employees couldn’t 

find information about 

employee benefits while 

researching their potential 

hospitality job 

20% said they only found 

out during their interview 

15% had to wait until after 

they’d started in the role 

to understand the employee 

benefits which would be 

offered to them 

Hospitality employees also told us 

that when in a role, their current 

employers need to do a better job 

of communicating the services 

available to them – 79% would use 

employee engagement services 

more if they were made aware of 

what was available. 

Claire Clarke, People Director 

at Flat Iron, commented on the 

research that suggested that ‘app 

fatigue’ may contribute to this lack 

of awareness: 

“We are expecting our employees 

to download apps on personal 

phones, unless they are head 

office. The perfect solution 

would be you join, here is your 

company app, it’s going to give you 

engagement, comms, rotas, pay, 

it’s a single sign on.” 

The problem isn’t that these 

benefits aren’t available – so 

many hospitality companies 

offer phenomenal employee 

engagement services but very few 

are using them to attract potential 

candidates. 

We know from research with 

Hospitality Jobs UK that half of 

job candidates won’t apply for a 

role if it doesn’t have an advertised 

salary – so anyone not making 

renumeration clear, is missing out 

on 50% of the already scarce pool 

of talent. 

The research shows us that the 

majority of employees (75%) 

believe that offering employee 

engagement services makes 

a business a more attractive 

place to work. There is also an 

expectation for businesses to offer 

services which look after physical 

and mental well-being as well as 

financial well-being. 

So why oh why aren’t we shouting 

more about it? 

I liked what Anne-Marie Sarantis, 

Head of People at Gusto said on 

the topic: 

“Everything has changed since 

covid and there has been a shift 

towards better engagement 

and usage of benefits – it’s all 

important, but equally many 

employees don’t even use it when 

we give it to them. So, it’s important 

that we, as a business, signpost 

them sufficiently.” 

It’s also important hospitality 

businesses are aware that the 

types of benefits wanted by 

employees are changing – not just 

with the times, but also from one 

employee to the next – we need 

a less ‘cookie cutter’ approach, 

and more of an individual 

understanding of what matters to 

our team members. 

As an industry, we need to realise 

that we have to be competitive with 

other industries when it comes to 

salary and benefits and we need to 

be better at shouting about it. 

£££ 

Katie Jenkins, Marketing & 

Partnerships Director of KAM 

£££ 

LATEST RESEARCH 

32 

33

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS 


Advertorial 

34 

35


PROVIDING THE 

PLATFORM FOR 

A SUCCESSFUL 

HOSPITALITY 

CAREER 

The launch of Workforce will 

help people throughout their 

hospitality journey 

“Supporting, 

developing and 

nurturing talent 

in our sector is 

absolutely vital to 

the future of pubs 

and hospitality 

venues.“ 

Here at the BII we offer support 

to licensees running their own 

pubs and help them diversify their 

businesses and thrive in the wider 

hospitality market. 

As a charity, one of our key aims 

is to champion the sector and the 

amazing career and professional 

development opportunities it 

offers. With that in mind, we have 

launched a brand new, free-touse 

membership platform called 

Workforce. 

Workforce is free for anyone 

working in any area of the pub 

sector and beyond. It gives career 

support and advice for team 

members from kitchens to bars 

and everywhere in-between. 

It also provides information on the 

career paths available, the training 

you can access to get you to where 

you want to be. On top of that, it 

brings inspiring stories from those 

at the beginning of their journey, 

right through to industry leaders 

who started as team members. 

sector, interview help and guidance, 

key information on wellbeing and 

looking after yourself in a fastpaced 

environment, as well as tips, 

tricks, blogs, podcasts and perks 

for members, with discounts in 

venues to be used in their down 

time. 

We talk a lot about transferrable 

skills in terms of working in our 

sector, but that means more than 

just taking them on to a different 

industry – it is about giving people 

the tools they need to move over 

and up in hospitality. 

With so many pubs now including 

elements of competitive socialising 

in their offer, we want to support 

everyone to give them access to 

the best role for them, no matter 

where that is. 

making the leap. 

Two opportunities came up, one 

working as a member of a support 

crew for a local radio station and 

the other selling gin for Silent Pool 

at markets. I loved them both, as 

they were people orientated with 

full on hospitality vibes. When the 

opportunity came up to work at the 

BII, I knew that this industry was for 

me but I wouldn’t have got the job 

without those experiences, among 

other things that I have tried in my 

career. 

What Workforce aims to do is to 

celebrate the brilliant people who 

make pubs and the wider sector 

what it is – no dismissing people 

skills as “soft” here – we value 

those hosts, those people who 

serve and do it brilliantly. 

THE PUB PERSPECTIVE 

Molly Davis, Head of 

Communications for BII 

Supporting, developing and 

nurturing talent in our sector is 

absolutely vital to the future of 

pubs and hospitality venues. More 

than that, hospitality is a bloody 

brilliant place to work for so many 

reasons. We have support from 

mentors who have been there 

and learned how to make it in the 

I have only been in the sector for 

six years or so, with the majority 

of my career up until then in 

marketing, sales and customer 

service for various companies. In 

the summer of 2017 I decided I 

wanted something different, so, I 

started looking for part-time, FUN 

things to try my hand at before 

Everything else is just learning as 

you go, and with the right support, 

the sky is the limit, so get your 

teams signed up today. 


www.biiworkforce.org 

36 

37


ON A SOCIAL 

SAFARI IN 

MANCHESTER 

We joined-up with TNT Sports and industry 

insiders for an action-packed visit to some 

north west gems 

Insights and entertainment were on 

the agenda for a TNT Sports trade 

day in Manchester. 

The sports broadcaster teamed-up 

with KAM, Gamechangers and 

a host of guests for the event 

that took in some of the liveliest 

competitive socialising venues in 

the city. 

Suppliers and operators from 

across the industry met at Sixes 

Social Cricket to hear KAM’s 

Head of Insights, Laurence Brown, 

provide data on the value of live 

sport to trade. 

He explained that live football in 

particular is a potential opportunity 

for venues to drive custom on 

weekdays and increase dwell time. 

KAM stats showed that live 

European football is a crowd puller 

for pubs – with 57% of those asked 

saying they would not be tempted 

to go to the pub of it wasn’t for the 

football. 

They also revealed that the average 

length of stay in a competitive 

socialising venue is 86 minutes 

– short of the length of a football 

match. 

With the format of the UEFA 

Champions League changing 

next season to offer more games 

– including more involving British 

clubs and more between higher 

ranked sides – it may be that live 

sport is a viable option for venues 

to consider as an extra element of 

entertainment. 

Roxy Ball Room 

The impressive Deansgate site 

has a true Tardis impact with 

the entrance on the street giving 

little indication that two sprawling 

floors full of games and goodies 

await inside. We checked out 

ice-free curling, crazy golf, 

American pool, ping pong and 

much more. 

Pixel Bar 

Next up we headed to gamers paradise Pixel for 

cocktails and a look at the on-screen action. Here 

players can compete on classic consoles and arcade 

games as well as watching the best in Esports. 

Box 

The action was very 

much on the screens 

as we settled around 

the shuffleboard tables 

to watch the drama of 

two Champions League 

quarter finals in the 

packed out sports bar. 

LIVE SPORT 

“During the week is when you’ve 

got to be doing something a little 

different and give them that reason 

to visit. 

“The average customer visits a 

competitive socialising venue 

1.3 times a month, compared to 

around three for a pub, so how do 

we get that number up?” 

Sixes 

After the presentations, guests went for a 

bat in the nets at the social cricket concept. 

With attendees split into two teams aiming 

to smash the most runs, the competition 

stepped up before heading to the next 

venue. 

Matt Eley, Editor-in-Chief, 

The Oracle 


www.tntsportsbusiness.co.uk 

Contact Dan Willsher 

07977040666 | dan.willsher@bt.com 

38 

39


You’re invited to Flight Club 

Bloomsbury’s... 

BDM & SALES TOURNAMENT 

Monday 11th June 6pm-9pm 

HOSTED BY FLIGHT CLUB & GAMECHANGERS 

TOURNAMENT 

COMPLIMENTARY DRINKS & NIBBLES 

TO RSVP, PLEASE EMAIL: 

BECKY.SHORT@RED-ENGINE.COM 

GAMECHANGERS 

BRINGS BUSINESS 

LEADERS TOGETHER 

BDMs strike up ideas in event at All Star Lanes 

Some of the best and brightest 

managers in the business shared 

ideas at a recent Gamechangers 

event. 

Business development managers 

(BDM) and sales teams attended 

the networker at All Star Lanes in 

Holborn. 

Rising stars from the likes of 

Fairgame, Red Engine, F1 Arcade, 

Lucky Voice, Platform, Swingers, 

The Bowls Club LDN and Sixes 

talked shop and shared best 

practice before hitting the bowling 

lanes and karaoke machines. 

Gamechangers Founder and Chief 

Executive Jade Craig hosted the 

event. 

She said: “Gamechangers exists 

to bring the world of competitive 

socialising together to share ideas 

and grow collectively. Events such 

as this get the innovative and 

positive people that are driving our 

sector forward, together in one 

room. 

“It was a great opportunity for 

people to relax and discuss their 

ideas and experiences in this fastpaced 

and ever-evolving business. 

We are already looking forward to 

the next one.” 

GAMECHANGERS EVENT 

Join us at Flight Club Bloomsbury for out next BDM meet-up and darts 

tournament on June 11. For more info email becky.short@red-engine.com 

41


NEW ON THE 

SCENE 

We cast an eye across some of the new openings and 

trends hitting the sector 

NEW 

Tenpin has opened venue number 54 venue in Chester. The site features 28 lanes of 

Tenpin bowling across two floors, escape rooms, karaoke, laser tag and more. 

BAM Karaoke Box is debuting in London with the biggest karaoke venue in Europe. 

The 10,000sq ft venue in Victoria features no less than 22 karaoke rooms and food 

created by renowned chef Sabrina Gidda. 

Bookings are officially open at TOCA Social’s second site at The Bullring in 

Birmingham. The venue will open in June and house 23 interactive football boxes 

and four bars across two floors. 

WHAT’S NEW 

Electric Shuffle is sliding into Manchester for its fourth opening. The venue will open 

on 21 June and will combine cocktails with sharing dishes and, of course, high tech 

shuffleboard. 

Red Engine, the parent company of Electric Shuffle and Flight Club, has announced 

it has secured a new £60m facility from Santander to continue its global expansion 

plans. 

Sixes Social Cricket can celebrate clearing the ropes twice with the opening of venue 

number 12 in London’s Bermondsey Street. It is the fourth Sixes in the capital. The 

business has also launched Leagues, where teams compete every Tuesday to be 

crowned UK champions. 

Pop Playrooms has brought its unique sense of fun to Kingston Upon Thames with 

a new venue featuring immersive mini-golf, American pool and augmented reality 

darts. It’s all served with a side dish of banging tunes. 

Design company Katapult has teamed-up with Cloudco Entertainment to create 

a new Care Bears Experience. The Care Bears Family entertainment concept will 

be a ticketed play café experience where guests can explore themed zones before 

enjoying Care Bear treats. 

Ballerz, a new immersive and innovative football entertainment concept, will open its 

first site in Bluewater Shopping Centre, Dartford. 

This football wonderland is scheduled to open in May and is backed by big names 

from the footballing world including Rio Ferdinand and Roberto Carlos. 

The Hot Wheels City Experience is parking up for a month in Manchester this 

summer. 

The experience will roll into town at the BEC Arena from August 13 to showcase the 

iconic brand with an immersive museum, life-sized cars, a gamer zone and a Hot 

Wheels lab. 

Want to be featured in the next issue? Get in touch today oracle@gamechangers.org.uk 

42 

43


INCREASE 

REVENUE. 

IMPROVE 

CUSTOMER 

LOYALTY. 

DIFFERENTIATE 

YOURSELF. 

Join Gamechangers TODAY!

The Oracle: Issue #4

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