Hollywood Bowl has been granted approval to open a new 21-lane bowling alley in the town of Banbridge, becoming the company’s second site in Northern Ireland.

The 23,000 sq ft venue is due to open in 2026 in The Boulevard shopping centre, joining Hollywood Bowl Belfast, which first opened in the city’s Odyssey centre in 2022.

“The brand performs extremely well across the UK offering an affordable contemporary entertainment experience for families, and friends to come together for fun games, enjoy food and drink and really make a day of it,” CFO Laurence Keen told Irish News.

“We are encouraged by The Boulevard’s strong performance and are looking forward to joining the solid roster of tenant brands on site, welcoming customers keen to make the most of the scheme’s retail and leisure mix.”

The venue is part of a £9m investment by The Boulevard owner Lotus Property into creating a new 60,000 sq ft leisure and entertainment quarter at the complex, with MD Alastair Coulson saying: “The arrival of Hollywood Bowl and the tranche of new F&B tenants that we expect to follow will support [The Boulevard’s] transition into a compelling day-to-night option for customers.”