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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Business
Joanna Hodgson

London ranked among the top cities globally for leisure operators

Fairgame opened its Canary Wharf venue in 2022

(Picture: fairgame)

London has been ranked as the third most attractive city globally for leisure and dining businesses, with firms keen to invest in openings despite challenging market conditions.

Property agent Savills looked at the potential cities offered for leisure and hospitality expansion, examining metrics such as spending power, tourism appeal and occupational costs.

The firm found that “owing to its market size, the relative affluence of its population and disposable household incomes per capita”, New York topped the ranking, followed by Seoul.

The capital came third, even at a time when leisure firms in the UK face headwinds including rocketing energy costs and higher food bills.

Companies that have opened sites over the last 12 months include Fairgame (pictured), which launched its ‘competitive socialising’ offering in Canary Wharf, featuring fairground games, teddy bear prizes, prosecco candy floss and a bar. The operator said bookings have been ahead of expectations.

Josh Leon, head of central London restaurants and leisure at Savills, said: “London continues to be one of the worlds most visited cities and the constantly evolving restaurant scene remains truly world class.”

Carlene Hughes, the firm’s head of UK restaurants and leisure, added: “The immersive and experiential leisure market has seen major development in cities such as New York, Las Vegas, Seoul, Tokyo and London and we expect to see operators acquire further space in these cities as well as in new locations.”

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