Bristol surfing lake reveals plans for "at least" six more sites across UK & Ireland
When it opened in 2019 The Wave in Bristol became the first inland surfing lake of its kind, in the world
The owners of The Wave surfing lake in Bristol, which became the first of its kind in the world when it opened in 2019, have announced plans to build at least six more sites across the UK and Ireland.
They've signed an exclusive multi-million pound deal with a company called Wavegarden which owns the wave making technology.
Work is already underway to create a lake at Lee Valley in London.
Craig Stoddart, The Wave CEO, said: “This multi-project agreement further cements our brilliant and exclusive partnership with Wavegarden, and the deal adds significant value to The Wave Group and our shareholders.
"Being the first to open a surf park powered by a new technology was a leap of faith in so many ways, but we believed in the technology and the team delivering it.
"The waves work.
"More than that we have proved it is commercially successful, we have a great professional team of Wavemakers and we have now welcomed over 300,000 visitors through our doors since we opened – despite contending with a global pandemic."
Building six further Wave sites represents an investment of over £200 million and once open, it's claimed they will welcome a combined total of over 2 million visitors a year.
The deal puts The Wave at the forefront of the nascent surf park sector in the UK and Ireland - a leisure category that it's thought could boom in the next 5 years.
On top of looking to build more sites across the UK and Ireland, possible options in major European cities on the continent are also being considered.
It comes as surfing recently made its debut in the Olympic Games at Tokyo 2020, with the sport set to appear again at Paris 2024.
“We know there is a huge appetite for surfing and its many health and wellbeing benefits, and we are now looking to bring these unique experiences to other locations around the UK and beyond," Mr Stoddart continued.
"Spurred by growth in surfing in general - and the Olympic effect - this burgeoning sector is definitely on the up."
The Wave's bosses claim they will have five sites either open, in planning or being built within the next five years.
Fernando Odriozola, Chief Commercial Officer at Wavegarden, adds: “We are delighted to have signed this strategic partnership with The Wave so we can continue to work with the team on many projects in the coming years.
"The very valuable experience and knowledge we have gained together at Bristol will allow us to move forward on a number of sites simultaneously. The future looks very bright.”
Members of The Wave's board of directors include Chairman Gaynor Coley, former Managing Director at the Eden Project, and Iain Shearer, formerly Chief Executive of London’s ExCel.
The business model is based on multiple revenues streams, including accommodation, food and drink, events and retail, alongside the core surfing offer, while the team claim what helps it stand out is its "strong brand values" of encouraging good health and wellbeing alongside the basic fun of the sport.
Nick Hounsfield from Bristol is the company's founder: “Surfing is amazing for our physical and mental health – and sharing these benefits is right at the heart of what we do.
"My vision was to create a space where people could get outside in nature, be active and reap the blue health boost of being in or near water."