The unexpected deal for Fairgame, which has quickly made its mark in competitive socialising, has strengthened Tenpin Entertainment’s position in the leisure market and supports its wider expansion plans. Is this a first strike for the FEC and bowling operator?
Tenpin Entertainment has signalled ambitious expansion plans after acquiring tech-enabled fairground operator Fairgame in a deal that also marks BGF’s exit from the business.
The Bedfordshire-headquartered bowling and family entertainment group, backed by American private equity firm Trive Capital, has taken over Fairgame, which runs two competitive socialising venues in London’s City and Canary Wharf. The business, founded in 2019 by Richard Hilton, blends proprietary tech-enhanced fairground games with food and drink offerings including its signature candyfloss prosecco.
“I am immensely proud of what Fairgame has achieved. It has been an unforgettable journey creating and launching this amazing business,” said CEO Hilton. “Partnering with Tenpin opens the door to rapid, ambitious growth. The team and I are excited for this next chapter in the Fairgame story.”
BGF, which invested in Fairgame in 2022, exits as part of the transaction.
Gone but probably not forgotten, especially considering the considerable efforts made in building Fairgame into a market player. The company launched its second venue in London this summer, all 25,000 sqf of it at One New Change, adding to the impressive Canary Wharf debut back in October 2022. There, almost 350,000 now visit each year generating over £4m in profit and £12m in turnover.
It’s also cornering the corporate market bigly, hardly surprising given its locality in the business quarter. Fast approaching half of its clientele now come from the high earning, hard play customer market.
It’s a new dimension for Tenpin, and a welcome one. With 58 sites nationwide, Tenpin is positioning itself for further acquisitions and market expansion. Earlier this year the company said it had six more venues in sight in 2025 alone and told Propel that it has a “robust pipeline for 2026 and beyond”.
That’s some statement for an alluring sector that is driving growth on the UK high street. “Fairgame is a category-defining concept in competitive socialising,” commented Trive Capital partner Shravan Thadani. “We are excited to partner with the management team to expand the business into new markets.”
Fair play. That’s some confidence in the UK’s FEC and social competitive arena.
Pinning high hopes on Fairgame model
Richard Hilton said……. “Partnering with Tenpin opens the door to rapid, ambitious growth. The team and I are excited for this next chapter in the Fairgame story……
Originally published on Coinslot on December 8, 2025. Republished with permission.