DGAP-Ad hoc: Holmes Investment Properties PLC

Holmes Investment Properties Plc Launches HIP Entertainment Subsidiary

Holmes Investment Properties Plc (HIP), the leisure and adventure park developer, has announced the formation of a new division, called HIP Entertainment, that will create and operate high-margin, fast-growing leisure activities. HIP Entertainment Ltd will be a partly-owned subsidiary of Holmes Investment Properties Plc; the new company will be 60% owned by Mr Grant Wright, a 25-year veteran of the leisure industry, with a 40% share owned by HIP.

HIP Entertainment's attractions will sit alongside activities from HIP's other leisure centre partners. By launching the new division, HIP Plc will take advantage of the most profitable and fast-growing elements of the leisure industry, whilst spreading the risk of each site, as the number of leisure offerings will be broader.

Mr Wright said: "The Leisure industry continues to grow with new opportunities opening up all the time. With our breadth of leisure experience at Holmes Investment Properties, it makes sense that we are at the forefront of these. HIP Entertainment delivers a great, all day leisure experience for everyone, for all ages, in all group sizes. We have designed activities that are new and exciting, and can be updated frequently, so guests can come back time and again for more fun. The broad range of activities offer guests enough to do for a whole day, not just an hour or two. HIP Entertainment will also offer an all-encompassing, multi-activity ticket, that even includes something for free, offering a day out that's great value."

HIP Entertainment's initial 8 activities are:

1. "Dinosaur Adventure Golf", for everyone aged 3 to 103 - 18 holes of competition and adventure

2. The "Tree-Tops Aerial Adventure Rope Course" - an hour-long high-rolling rope course, 12 metres up and around the leisure centre.

3. "Soft>Play" for children up to eight years old with giant building blocks to play around with and plenty of space for parents to relax, enjoy a drink or even get involved

4. The "Out of this World, Space Shuttle Simulator" - eight different journeys from flying at the speed of sound to shooting off to a galaxy of stars

5. The "Top, Top Secret Escape Adventure" - Groups of friends and families get together to solve a series of mysteries in a fantastic, magical world of theatre, puzzles, smoke, mirrors and lasers.

6. HIP Ent's original Laser Quest system - an old favourite reinvented and updated

7. "Clip'n'Climb" - Safe and Simple indoor climbing that needs no experience.

8. The "HIP Entertainment Activity Arcade" - great games from the global brand-leader, Sega offering products and amusement for everyone.

Martin Helme, CEO of HIP said: "We have six really strong partners, from I-Fly indoor sky diving to Omni Fight Club gym and TeamSport go karting, but we saw that there were exciting new attractions that were either high-margin or fast-growing or both that no one was doing well. So, by creating HIP Entertainment, we can now complement our high-quality leisure partners with our own excellent attractions. We foresee a shift in demand to interactive technology based leisure activities such as lazer quest, virtual reality and personalised training in the future. This also means that 40% of the profit derived from HIP Entertainment Ltd will flow into HIP Plc, adding further income from HIP-owned leisure centres.
Contact:

Martin Helme, Chief Executive Officer
+44 (0)7779 601541 or +44 (0)203 709 7120
Martin@hip-prop.co.uk

Murray Harkin, The Lyndon Agency
+44 (0)77852 54639
Murray@thelyndonagency.com