The concept has received an investment of $34m (£25.8m) to support the launch. This was from an initial seed round led by Sharp Alpha, a US leisure-focused venture capital investor, and dmg ventures, DMGT’s consumer venture capital fund.
The concept will bring the sport of pool to the competitive socialising landscape with the first site and concept launch to be in a 21,500sq ft site close to London’s Liverpool Street station.
The team behind Poolhouse includes CEO Andrew O’Brien, board member at F1 Arcade and COO Matt Fleming, formerly of Vagabond Wines and Be at One.
The rest of the senior team brings experience from industry leaders such as Puttshack, Bounce, Flight Club, and Swingers. Leading the food offer is a former executive chef from the Gordon Ramsay Group.
Glitz and glamour
The Poolhouse brand, which blends the familiar traditions of pool with game patented technology against an immersive backdrop, has been in the pipeline for four years.
The plan is for the concept to “mirror the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas, juxtaposed against the grit of iconic pool halls.”
The food and beverage offering will provide a range of options that cater to corporate events and gatherings, families, date nights and a whole host of occasions.
The drinks offering is being curated with the Venning brothers from Three Sheets, a member of the World’s 50 Best Bars list.
Challenging
Poolhouse co-founder Steve Jolliffe said: “Poolhouse is the most ambitious and scalable concept my brother and I have created, representing the pinnacle of our lifelong work.
“Today, more people play at Topgolf than on traditional golf courses in the US, and we aim to make an even greater impact on the world of pool. Whilst we have a strong track record, this project has been our most challenging endeavour yet.”
Co-founder and CEO Andrew O’Brien said: “The Poolhouse experience heralds the most significant transformation in the history of a near 700-year-old sport.
“The Jolliffe brothers changed the landscape of golf with Topgolf, and they are set to do the same to pool.”
COO Matt Fleming added: “Through Poolhouse, we have created a concept that is set to reshape pool and the competitive socialising market.
“Pool and other cue games have long been used as a way to socialise and now this is an opportunity to bring a modern twist to the game in a marketplace which is booming.”
