A SCOT who gave up a banking career in London to set up a crazy golf venture in Glasgow has set his sights on opening an outlet in Edinburgh before the end of the year.
Craig Neilson launched Fore Play Crazy Golf with partner Kasia Majkut in a former newspaper building in Kinning Park in September.
Combining a nine-hole course with street food stalls, it brought to Glasgow a leisure concept which had taken root in other cities around the UK, underpinned by a growing wish by adult consumers to do something more than eating and drinking on a night out.
READ MORE: Banker returns to make crazy golf investment
The venture is understood to have exceeded initial trading forecasts and the owners are set to unveil a second nine-hole course at the Glasgow venue today. They are also on the hunt for a site in Edinburgh to take the concept to the Scottish capital.
Mr Neilson, who worked in the City for Goldman Sachs before returning to Scotland to launch the venture, said: “Fore Play’s immersive golf courses, street food, drinks and service all combine to make an unrivalled level of fun, which is proving very popular with young people and corporate groups here in Scotland. It makes business sense for us to expand now, ahead of forecast, and we look forward to bringing our unique brand of entertainment to Edinburgh very soon.”
The firm turned over £300,000 in its first seven months of trading, 3.5 per cent ahead of forecast, with the venue having welcomed more than 30,000 visitors to date. The business is so far achieving a net profit margin of 14% in an industry where margins in excess of 10% are considered high.
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