As the summer holidays kick off, the UK leisure sector should be celebrating. The government’s temporary VAT relief (running from 25 June to 1 September 2026) was intended to give family attractions a much-needed boost, cutting VAT on tickets and children’s meals to help families during the school break.
But there is a glaring, frustrating omission.
While trampoline parks, soft play centres, and other family venues are enjoying the reduced VAT rate, tenpin bowling has been explicitly excluded. Because HMRC technically classifies bowling under “Sporting activities and recreational sport”, operators are stuck paying the full 20% VAT on lane hires, while the trampoline park down the road cuts their prices or pockets the difference.
Major chains like Tenpin and Hollywood Bowl are already seeking legal advice regarding competition law and UK Hospitality is actively lobbying HM Treasury. But waiting for the outcome of these legal battles won’t save your summer trading.
However, there are steps local operators can take to give further weight and support to the campaigns being spearheaded by the larger chains and hospitality champions.
Raise the “Competitive Disadvantage" with Your MP
The current interpretation of the law places bowling operators at a significant and unfair disadvantage. When a family is choosing how to spend a rainy Tuesday in August, the government has essentially subsidised your competitors to be able to offer them a visit at a cheaper price than you can.
Politicians don’t like policies that actively harm local businesses.
- The Action: Contact your local MP outlining your concerns and ask them to raise the issue with the Chancellor. Invite them to your centre.
- The Pitch: Bring them in on a busy weekday. Show them the families, the kids, and the community atmosphere. Explain to them directly: “HMRC thinks we are a serious sporting venue. In reality, we serve the exact same family demographic as the soft play centre three doors down, yet the government is forcing us to charge more – which is directly impacting your constituents.”
Hit the Treasury with Hard Data in July
HM Treasury and HMRC constantly review the economic impact of temporary tax measures. If they see that a policy is actively damaging a specific sector, the pressure mounts.
- The Action: Start tracking your data now. Compare your footfall, booking numbers and average family spend against the same period last year.
- The Pitch: Coordinate with the UK Tenpin Bowling Operators group or other local venues who are similarly impacted to submit this data directly to the Chancellor (as well as via your local MP). Real numbers showing a drop in bowling bookings, while nearby trampoline parks thrive, is the exact ammunition needed to prove the policy is flawed and having a direct impact on your business.
Maximise the Kids' Meal Opportunity
While lane hire doesn’t qualify for the VAT cut, children’s meals and drinks served on the premises DO qualify for the 5% reduced rate. This shows your customer base that you are doing everything you can to support them, reduce prices where you can and making their memory making activities financially viable within the constraints imposed by the governments VAT strategy.
- The Strategy: Aggressively restructure your summer pricing. Pivot away from selling standalone lane hours and focus on “Bowl & Bite” family packages.
- By bundling the bowling (20% VAT) with the kids’ food and drink (5% VAT), you can lower the overall package price for families, optimising your margins while staying highly competitive with other local attractions.
- Even better – why not just charge the customers for the food and give them a drink, and a game of bowling, for free!
The Bottom Line
The government’s exclusion of bowling centres in the VAT relief policy demonstrates a lack of due diligence and proper consideration. It appears they looked at a spreadsheet of “sports” instead of looking at how British families actually spend their summer holidays.
A resolution is unlikely to come soon, but the summer is long. By lobbying your MP with hard data and adjusting your packaging to maximise the food VAT relief, the bowling sector can fight back.
Let’s make sure the government hears us loud and clear: Bowling is a family staple, and we won’t be left in the gutter.
Are you an independent operator taking action this summer? Let us know what you’re doing to lobby your local MP via our Social Media channels.
