3.10pm 9th January 2025 - <a href="https://golfbusinessnews.com/news/interviews/">Interviews</a> <br><em>GBN talks to Simon Thompson, the recently-appointed CEO of <a href="https://bglcompany.co.uk">Burhill Group Ltd</a>, a privately-owned company which operates in the golf and leisure market. <strong>BGL Golf </strong>operates 22 golf courses across 10 UK venues; <strong>Adventure Golf</strong>, which operates indoor and outdoor crazy golf venues, including the Mulligans and BUNKERS! brands; and <strong>Ninja Leisure,</strong> which currently operates from 19 sites across the UK with activities inspired by the Ninja Warrior TV show</em><br><strong>Can you tell us about your career background?</strong><br>I started my career in finance, training as a chartered accountant and then had 14 years in corporate finance. I worked at Ernst & Young doing a variety of different corporate finance projects, focusing on lots of hospitality, leisure, retail and private equity clients. Bourne Leisure was one of my clients during my time at Ernst & Young, and I then joined them in 2010.<br /><br />I started in a central strategy role with Bourne Leisure but moved fairly quickly into operational roles. I then had eight years as the Managing Director of Warner Hotels, which was part of Bourne Leisure, and then left at the end of 2023.<br><strong>What attracted you to join BGL?</strong><br>I like the challenge of a business that has a great platform for growth. BGL has a unique position in the UK leisure market where it’s got a wide range of different offerings that all have fantastic potential for growth.<br>I can draw on my own experiences. When I started running Warner, it was in a similar position with a similar positive attitude for expansion. It was well placed, and it had a good strategy, but it’s about executing that and helping the business grow to the next level. There is a really great opportunity at BGL to do the same thing.<br>BGL’s private ownership by members of the Guinness family is also an attraction for me, with the ambition they have and the long-term view for the growth of the business. You can see in the track record we have as a group, there’s a really keen desire to continue that level of growth and evolution.<br>I think the driving range product is a really interesting one to focus on because it offers a great pathway into the game of golf. It’s a sociable activity, whether it’s groups of friends hitting away, individuals having serious practice sessions, people playing virtual golf courses, or families just enjoying time together.<br>If it’s delivered with a strong food and beverage component to it, that makes it less intimidating, more fun, and an experience that breaks down barriers. The addition of the Trackman technology brings another fun aspect to the environment. The driving range can be one of the best ways to get people to the course, as it becomes a regular habit and a regular part of their lives.<br>I want our golf clubs to be at the centre of the communities in which they sit. To continue that journey, we will look to continue our range technology project, but also introduce other activities at the clubs to encourage more members of the community to use them.<br><strong>How have you spent your first few months in the role? </strong><br>I started in October last year and I’ve been very lucky to have a smooth handover with Colin Mayes, my predecessor at BGL. Our budget process was well underway, so using this to assemble the building blocks together for the future strategy and where we go next was my main focus.<br>During my first few months I’ve also been trying to meet as many team members from around the business as possible. Both my colleagues and as many customers as possible at the same time. The priority has been getting out there to understand the business from the inside out to position myself to set the business up for success in 2025 and beyond.<br><strong>You come into the position as Colin Mayes’ successor after almost 20 years. BGL has evolved a lot during that time, can you explain where you feel BGL is positioned now in both the golf and leisure markets? </strong><br>We’re well-positioned to offer customers sociable, competitive, and active experiences, both indoors and outdoors. In golf, we’re committed to making the sport accessible to all, from beginners at driving ranges using Trackman technology to those building confidence on short courses, or enjoying full rounds of golf. <br>Our wide range of courses and facilities ensure we support players of all levels and break down barriers for newcomers. Our ongoing investments in driving ranges, courses, and facilities reflect this commitment to meeting the needs of members, guests, and first-time visitors alike.<br>We aim to continue the success of our Mulligans brand and encourage its growth while further enhancing customer experiences. Similarly, our Ninja Leisure brands are strong products that we plan to expand and make more family friendly. Ultimately, our focus is on delivering experiences that bring people together, helping them disconnect from devices and enjoy fun and competitive activities they can’t do at home. <br><strong>Highlight briefly what you feel you will be able to bring to the business to continue building on previous years’ successes? </strong><br>I think it’s building on the foundations we’ve already established. To be successful in UK hospitality and leisure, you have to be clear on what the customers want from you and then be bold about delivering that because the customer journey is crucial. <br>Another crucial step is making sure everyone in your team is completely clear about that. My job is to support our teams to deliver that, whether that’s through training and developing their careers or through capital investment or expansion to create new roles.<br>I think there are opportunities at BGL to accelerate some of the growth that we’ve had and build on those strong foundations. We’ve got some really interesting plans in the pipeline for where we go next.<br><strong>Can you talk to us about the key business principles and goals that you have moving forward? </strong><br>Fundamentally hospitality businesses thrive on their employees being the difference to the experience the customer has. You can be well invested and have hundreds of sites, but if the service you provide doesn’t make customers feel happy each time they come in, then you’ll struggle.<br>It starts with focussing on the colleagues within BGL and making sure they’re set up for success to deliver what we know the customers want. Creating customer loyalty is paramount, so that they feel understood, and will continue to use the product repeatedly. <br>We’ve got some brilliant examples of that. The challenge as you grow is making sure that’s consistent everywhere. When we buy new golf courses or open new Ninja Warrior UK or Mulligans sites, making sure that everyone’s clear on the standards and expectations.<br><strong>Looking specifically at the golf division, what is 2025 looking like for BGL?</strong><br>We’re investing across the business on a whole variety of different initiatives. A key one for us is the driving ranges. The new driving ranges remind me of sports bars rather than a traditional driving range. That’s great because it works for your casual player or beginner that wants to come along and have some fun, but also for the serious golfer that wants to practice as all the amenities are there. <br>We’re continuing to invest in irrigation systems, solar initiatives, and ensuring our greens teams have the best, most efficient equipment available. The other aspects revolve around the F&B facilities at each venue, to ensure we create a community feel to the clubs with people wanting to stay after they’ve finished their activities.<br>We’ve also got plans to develop the range of facilities we have at the clubs. This is to ensure a diverse approach. It’s not just about golf, there are other sports and leisure activities that members and the community can benefit from.<br><strong>What are your priorities for the business going forward?</strong><br>There are three buckets that I’d like to focus on. Inclusion stands at the forefront, meaning more members and more impact on local communities. As a group, we should be trying to get more members, and more people in the local communities around our clubs visiting us and feeling that the club is part of their life. This means engaging with more people who live within 20 minutes of Birchwood Park or Ramsdale Park for example, ensuring they know they are welcome at the club. <br>The second theme is to build critical mass where possible, which allows us to scale. It’s a very fragmented market for the golf division. We’re the second largest player with 10 venues, so we are looking to expand further here.<br>The third is possibly the most important. We want to continue investing in our people so that they can continue delivering brilliant experiences. <br><strong><em>For more information about BGL, visit <a href="https://bglcompany.co.uk">bglcompany.co.uk</a></em></strong><br>Campey Turf Care will once again be bringing essential equipment to the turf professional in 2025 with the introduction of several new maintenance products for golf courses, all of which will be on show at BTME 2025. <br>Iseki UK and Ireland will be exhibiting tractors, a remote-control tool carrier and mowers for every area of the golf course in Hall 6, Stand 645, at BTME 2025.<br>Callaway Golf has released details of its new Chrome Tour Triple Diamond golf ball, which is designed to appeal to players with high clubhead speeds, including Tour professionals. <br><a href="https://twitter.com/home?status=https://golfbusinessnews.com/news/interviews/the-gbn-interview-simon-thompson-chief-executive-officer-burhill-group-ltd/" rel="noopener" data-via="eGolfBusiness" data-hashtags="GolfBusinessNews">Share on Twitter</a> <br><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://golfbusinessnews.com/news/interviews/the-gbn-interview-simon-thompson-chief-executive-officer-burhill-group-ltd/&title=THE+GBN+INTERVIEW%3A+Simon+Thompson%2C+Chief+Executive+Officer%2C+Burhill+Group+Ltd&source=GolfBusinessNews.com" rel="noopener">Share on LinkedIn</a><br>GolfBusinessNews.com (GBN) is for the many thousands of people who work in the golf business all around the world.<br>We cover the full range of topics both on and off the course. 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