Mon 20th Apr 2026 - Exclusive: Lane7 acquires Gareth Bale-backed Par 59 business Exclusive – Lane7 acquires Gareth Bale-backed Par 59 business: Boutique bowling company Lane7 has acquired Par 59 – the mini-golf bar and restaurant concept backed by Gareth Bale. Launched in March 2022 as a partnership between Elevens Group, which is co-owned by Bale and Jamie Humphreys, and entertainment business The Depot, Par 59 has sites in Cardiff and Bristol. Elevens Group said it will continue to focus on other commercial opportunities and currently operates Elevens Bar & Grill in Castle Street. Depot said it continues its investment in Cardiff’s live music and events scene through its 2,000-capacity venue, plus programming via Depot Live at Cardiff Castle and Blackweir Fields. As part of the deal, the Cardiff Par 59 site will close for refurbishment and reopen under the Lane7 brand, while the Bristol site will continue to trade as Par 59. Humphrys said: “Par 59 has been a brilliant part of Cardiff’s hospitality scene over the last few years, and we’re incredibly proud of what was created there in partnership with Depot. From day one, the aim was to bring something fun, high-quality and genuinely exciting into the city centre, and it’s been fantastic to see so many people come through the doors and enjoy it with us. I’d like to thank everyone involved in the venue – including Gareth, the staff and customers – and everyone who supported Par 59 along the way. We’re proud of what the brand achieved, and this felt like the right time to hand it on.” Nick Saunders, founder of Depot, said: “Together with Elevens Group, we built a business with real momentum in Cardiff and Bristol, but the opportunity to sell came at the right time for all parties. For Depot, it allows us to stay focused on the areas where we see the biggest opportunity for growth and impact, particularly live music, major events and large-scale experiences in Cardiff. We remain hugely ambitious about what we’re building, and proud of the role Par 59 has played in that wider story.” Gavin Hughes, managing director of Lane7 Group, said: “Par 59 is a strong business with two well-established sites, and we’re pleased to be taking it forward in Bristol while expanding our Lane7 brand in Cardiff. We believe our differentiated positioning puts us in a strong position to continue making the most of opportunities like these, which we expect to continue over the next 24 months as the market matures and consolidates further.” Lane7 Group has continued to expand its footprint across the UK and beyond, with Par 59 now joining a wider portfolio that includes the Lane7, Level X, Gutterball and ML7 formats. Last week, Lane7 told Propel it has continued to “trade positively off the back of an excellent Christmas period” and it has “also identified some excellent sites in mainland Europe” that it hopes to “be in a position to secure very soon”. It came off the back of Lane7 securing the 30th site for its eponymous brand, in Exeter. Lane7 features in the Premium Club Turnover & Profits Blue Book, the latest edition of which features 1,265 companies. Lane7’s turnover of £29,141,000 for the year ending 31 October 2024 is the 443rd highest in the database. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. A new Premium Unlimited Plus option, which costs £1,995 plus VAT per annum, has some amazing additional benefits including four free tickets to Propel’s paid-for conferences – Excellence in Pub & Bar (19 May), Operational Excellence (9 July) and Talent & Training (15 October) – and the opportunity to run one free sponsored message or situation vacant notice during the year on the newsletter. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.