Sep 1 • Jo Cox-Brown

Why Is Experiential Leisure in Such Growth?

Over the past few years, I’ve watched nightlife and leisure evolve dramatically. 

Where once the pub or club was the default option, today’s audiences are craving something more meaningful, immersive and memorable. It’s no longer just about going out; it’s about what you experience when you do.

Welcome to the age of experiential leisure, a sector that’s booming, reshaping how we spend our time (and money), and presenting powerful opportunities for the night-time economy.

What Is Experiential Leisure?

Experiential leisure is all about interactive, sensory-rich, and emotionally engaging activities. It's leisure that asks you to do something, not just spectate or consume.

Unlike traditional passive entertainment, such as watching a film or grabbing a drink, experiential leisure actively engages the participant, offering immersion, novelty, creativity, or even adrenaline.

At its core, it’s about connection and memory, creating moments that are Instagrammable, story-worthy, and often shared in real time.

Examples of Experiential Leisure

We’re seeing innovation across cities and sectors. Some of the fastest-growing examples include:

  • Competitive socialising: From axe throwing to darts, crazy golf, escape rooms, shuffleboard and virtual racing
  • Immersive theatre & art: Secret Cinema, Punchdrunk, Van Gogh experience
  • Sensory pop-ups: Themed dining, projection mapping, scent-based installations
  • Wellness experiences: Rooftop yoga, late-night saunas, sound baths, breathwork
  • Tech-driven attractions: VR arcades, immersive gaming zones, augmented reality galleries
  • Multi-use leisure venues: Concepts that blend food, games, performance, co-working and culture under one roof

What ties all of these together? They're designed to be felt, not just seen. People are hungry for feelings, belonging and a sense of more.

What else?

How Fast Is It Growing?

Very fast.
  • The UK experiential leisure market was valued at over £3.5 billion in 2024, with 6–9% annual growth projected into 2026 (CGI Leisure Index)
  • 87% of Gen Z and Millennials say they prefer spending money on experiences over material goods ([Eventbrite])
  • Competitive socialising alone is expected to hit £3.5 billion by 2030, more than doubling its current size ([KAM Media])
  • Operators like Flight Club, Boom Battle Bar, and Hijingo are opening venues at a pace, with strong investment interest across Europe and North America

Opportunities for Further Growth

As the lines between leisure, culture, wellness, and nightlife blur, the potential for experiential offers is immense. Some of the biggest growth opportunities include:
  • Suburban and regional roll-out: Most experiential offers are still city-centre based, but people want them closer to home
  • Intergenerational experiences: There’s increasing demand for experiences that aren’t just aimed at under-35s
  • Cultural crossover: Merging art, history, food and play into new formats
  • Inclusive & adaptive design: Spaces that are safe, welcoming, and accessible for all
  • Hybrid models: Combining daytime workspace with evening events or weekend immersive offers

How Can the Night-Time Economy Maximise This?

Experiential leisure fits naturally into the evening and night-time economy, but it needs the right conditions to thrive. Here’s what cities and operators can do:
  • Extend licensing and planning flexibilities for hybrid leisure formats
  • Create cultural zones or late-night clusters that support experiential offers
  • Invest in transport, lighting and safety to support audiences coming out later
  • Encourage pop-ups and pilot schemes to test new ideas without long-term risk
  • Support training and workforce development to help deliver high-quality interactive experiences

What Does the Future Look Like? 

In 5–10 years, we’ll see:
  • More immersive, story-driven venues that feel like mini theme parks for adults, for example we've just seen Wake The Tiger commit to a London venue, after an incredible first few years in Bristol.
  • Experiences that cross digital and physical realms using AI, VR, AR and holograms
  • Community-embedded offerings, like a local theatre doubling as a gaming hub or a cafe that transforms into a night-time escape room
  • Sustainability and wellness are at the core of the offer design
  • Experiential loyalty, with people choosing places they feel emotionally connected to, not just those with cheap prices or flashy branding
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Final thoughts

The growth of experiential leisure is not a gimmick; it’s a reflection of deeper desires: for belonging, stimulation, creativity, and meaning.

This is an exciting time for the night-time economy. If we embrace the experiential shift with creativity, care and strategy, we can reimagine our cities after dark, not just as places to drink or dine, but as playgrounds of imagination, connection and culture.

If you’re looking to develop or fund an experiential leisure project, my team and I would love to help. We’ve supported hundreds of businesses, secured millions in funding, and understand what makes night-time innovation thrive.

Let’s build the future, one unforgettable experience at a time.