About HB Leisure
Since being founded by Harold Burt in 1927, HBL has expanded beyond all recognition to become the global leader in skill games, as well as a major international player in family arcades.
HBL now operates in over 150 major theme parks and attractions, in over 25 countries across the world. Our staff bring their unique friendly touch and exciting range of skill games and arcades to over 150 million customers every year.
“When I look back at how the company has developed since the early days when I took over from my grandfather it seems scarcely believable. This year we will be comfortably 200 times the size that we were back in 1987, and still growing. All the progress of course has been down to a fantastic team and to delivering a great product for our customers.”
Tim Batstone
Chairman, HB Leisure
Our Vision
“The Passion of our People delivers the Best Games Experience Worldwide”
Passion of our People
Passion is in our core DNA here at HBL – seen in our commitment, enthusiasm, determination, and pursuit of excellence in all that we do. It’s a passion which wins the trust of our partners and creates unforgettable moments for our customers.
Best Games Experience
HBL is all about the games and all about the customer. We are 100% focused on delivering an outstanding games experience for our customers. With helpful, friendly staff making the experience truly unique and exciting with innovative games that are fun and fair to play, and with top-quality prizes, bringing a smile to every face.
Worldwide
Present in over 25 countries, HBL is the leading skill games operator globally, but not yet in all the key regions. We aspire to add USA and Asia to our leadership positions in the UK, Europe, and the Middle East. Wherever we operate, we are committed to reducing our impact on the environment.
Our Strategy for Growth
HBL sales have more than doubled over the last 5 years, and this positive trend is projected to continue in the foreseeable future. Our strategic priority areas are:
- We will focus relentlessly on excellence in the customer games experience…
- …and excellence in our industry-wide partner relationships
- We will add new business in the USA, Asia, the Middle East and other key markets: and in new channels and new acquisitions, where appropriate
- We will develop a well-led, passionate and highly skilled employees and management team, to drive our business forward
- We will reduce our impact on the environment – focusing on GHG emissions and landfill waste – with significant, quantified improvement by 2030
Our People
Tim Batstone
Chairman
Alex Sparks
Managing Director
Rod Hyde
Chief Operating Officer
Eddie Lehart
Business Development Director
Steve Hayes
Operations Director
Kevin Cleary
Finance Director
Richard Sharples
Head of Global Purchasing
Suzanne Green
Head of Global HR
Paul Hawkins
Financial Controller
Stuart Wood
Vice President of Arcades
Jeff Hudson
Chief Executive - North America
Xando Miller
President - US Operations
Tom Boit
President - Asia Operations
Our History
HB Leisure owes its name to Harold Burt – a gifted marine engineer who opened his first family arcade premises in North Wales in 1932.
Nearly a century later, some things stay the same. HB Leisure is still headquartered in North Wales, and the family connection remains – our current Chairman Tim Batstone is the grandson of the company’s founder, Harold Burt. The family arcades activity remains a healthy part of our business.
But the business transformation that took place after 1987 under Tim´s leadership was driven by entering the Skill Games sector, starting with the first tentative (and not very successful) experiment in 1991.
Environmental Sustainability
HBL is a global business which takes a responsible approach towards Environmental Sustainability. We are committed to making significant reductions to our environmental impact by 2030, focusing on the two priority areas of greenhouse gas emissions and landfill waste.
