New competitive socialising concept Poolhouse to open debut London site

A new competitive socialising concept based around pool is to open its first London site after raising raised $34m (£25.8m) in funding.

Poolhouse has been created by brothers Steve and Dave Joliffe, the founders of golf-based social hospitality brands Topgolf and Puttshack.

The concept promises to combine the “familiar traditions of pool with its cutting-edge game patented technology” in a venue “designed to mirror the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas, juxtaposed against the grit of iconic pool halls”.

An unnamed former executive chef from Gordon Ramsay Group is leading the culinary side, while drinks will be curated by the Venning brothers of the award-winning Three Sheets London cocktail bars.

The team has secured a 21,500 sq ft site close to London Liverpool Street station for its first location and have already set their sights on global expansion into the Middle East, North America, Southeast Asia and Europe.

Poolhouse is designed to cater to a range of customers, including corporate events, families and date nights.

Its initial seed round was led by Sharp Alpha, a US leisure-focused venture capital investor, and dmg ventures, DMGT’s consumer venture capital fund.

There has been a 38% growth in the competitive socialising sector since 2018, according to figures from OakNorth Bank, as consumers seek to combine experiences with eating and drinking out.

Steve Jolliffe, co-founder of Poolhouse, 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 U.S., 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.”

The team behind Poolhouse includes chief executive Andrew O’Brien, a board member at F1 Arcade, and chief operating officer Matt Fleming, formerly of Vagabond Wines and Be at One.

The rest of the senior team brings experience from competitive socialising concepts including Puttshack, Bounce, Flight Club and Swingers.

Further information on Poolhouse’s first London site will be revealed later this year.