MA300: Novus Leisure invests £2m in digital operations

Andy Windsor, head of digital at Novus Leisure, told delegates at the MA300 event in Reading last week: “Digital is going to be a big part of the future at Novus. Today’s market is irreversibly different than ever before.

“The future is very much reliant on growth from digital channels and corporate channels and, on average, 2% of traffic on our websites will turn into a booking.”

Windsor outlined a three-year plan for the company to double the number of total bookings made online, setting a £30m browsing-to-booking conversion target.

“At present, 15% of total sales are made through our websites. Over the next three years, that will double. Some of our sites
are at 35%.”

Windsor added: “We want to establish Novus as a market leader for digital.”

As part of the investment, “every venue will have a new website” that will have been specially designed to “recreate the
venue experience and convert traffic into sales”.

According to Windsor, every weekend, on average across the Novus estate, 60% of the company’s traffic is through mobile phones, and so mobile viewing of the venue “will need to be different and include maps and vouchers”

Separately, it has been announced that Steve Richards is to step down as chief executive othis summer after eight years to seek a new challenge.

Richards notified the company’s board sometime ago of his intention to step down following the £100m sale of the business to LGV Capital and Hutton Collins last year.