What Hobbledown does

Hobbledown is a UK family adventure park and zoo brand operating two sites — Hobbledown in Epsom, Surrey and Hobbledown Heath in Hounslow, West London — targeting families with children aged 2-13. The offering combines four themed outdoor play villages, one of London's largest indoor play arenas (The Great Barn), a sensory indoor area (The Imaginarium), high ropes, the Gripped treetop net park, marble runs, and a collection of farm and exotic animals including birds of prey, lemurs, meerkats, and capybaras. The business is a physical leisure operator with no software platform layer: ticketing, reservations, and member management are served through a proprietary booking portal and the company has no public API or mobile app.

Hobbledown generates revenue through a multi-stream model. One-time day tickets range from £19.50 (afternoon saver) to £24.50+ (open-dated online) and over £22 walk-up, with peak/off-peak differentiation. Annual Passes (Anytime, Termtime, and the multi-venue Escapade pass) provide recurring subscription revenue via direct debit, with members receiving 20% off F&B and retail and 15% off parties and animal experiences. Premium add-on experiences (Zookeeper for a Day, Feed the Capybaras, Birds of Prey encounters, Gripped add-on) capture incremental ARPU per visit, while on-site F&B (Hobnosh Bar and Pizza Kitchen) and retail (Merrymakers Shop) provide secondary transaction revenue. Birthday parties are a meaningful dedicated vertical with seven themed packages, and schools/Education packages (minimum 15 children) anchor off-peak weekday demand.

Hobbledown Ltd is a private limited company (Company Registration No: 07655909) and a subsidiary of The Escapade Group, a UK visitor-attraction consolidator founded by Nick de Candole and Richard Farley and led by CEO Joe Ponte. The Escapade Group operates seven attractions across England — Hobbledown, Hobbledown Heath, Gripped London, Kidspace Croydon, Kidspace Romford, Watermouth Castle (acquired 2023), and Farmer Ted's Adventure Farm (acquired May 2026) — and has indicated a continued M&A-led expansion strategy. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the company's own website (hobbledown.com), supplemented by on-site ticket sales, school and group bookings, voucher partnerships (Tesco Clubcard), and location-filming revenue. Marketing is multi-channel, leaning on organic social (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube), email via MailChimp, earned media in Time Out and Londonist, and seasonal event-driven campaigns.

Name

Hobbledown

Legal name

Hobbledown Ltd

Website

https://hobbledown.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hobbledown is a UK family adventure park and zoo brand operating two sites (Epsom and Hounslow) under The Escapade Group, combining themed outdoor play villages, indoor playbarns, animal encounters, and birthday party hosting for families with children aged 2-13.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Family Adventure Parks and Zoos (Visitor Attractions)

NAICS

Amusement and Theme Parks (71311), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Family Entertainment Centers & Indoor Amusement (Arcades, Trampoline Parks, Indoor Play) (THAAAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAAAG), Amusement Parks (Regional/Local Ride Parks & Funfairs) (THAJAEAD)

Keywords

• Family adventure park
• Animal encounters
• Indoor play barn
• Birthday party venue
• School educational visits

Headquarters

HQ city

Epsom

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Day Tickets: General admission tickets for day visits. Prices vary by date (peak vs off-peak) and booking timing. Walk-up prices higher than advance booking. Under 1s free, various age tiers including under 5s (toddlers), standard adult/child rates.
2. Annual Passes: Recurring membership subscriptions with multiple tiers: Anytime Annual Pass (unlimited visits including weekends and holidays), Termtime Annual Pass (weekday term-time visits only), and Escapade Annual Pass (valid across all Escapade Group venues). Direct debit payment options available.
3. Birthday Parties: Hosted party packages including venue hire, activities, and food. Multiple themes including Classic Party, Premium Classic, Sky Nets Adventurer, Nerf, Laser Tag, Teddy Bear Picnic, and Toddler Parties. Deposits required with final balance due 5 days prior.
4. Animal Experiences: Premium add-on experiences including Zookeeper for a Day, Feed the Capybaras, Meet the Meerkats, Meet the Lemurs, Birds of Prey encounters, and Meet the Tortoises. Separate ticket purchase required in addition to general admission.
5. Summer Season Tickets: Limited-duration unlimited visit pass covering summer period (25 June to 1 September). From £29.50 per person with unlimited re-visits during the season period.
6. Gift Vouchers: Digital and physical gift vouchers valid for 12 months from purchase. Valid for day tickets, parties, animal experiences, and annual passes. Cannot be used for food and beverage purchases.
7. Food & Beverage: On-site food and beverage offerings including Hobnosh Bar and Pizza Kitchen. 20% discount for annual pass holders. Outside food not permitted in play areas.
8. Retail Merchandise: On-site retail including Merrymakers Shop. Annual pass holders receive 20% discount. Socks and merchandise available for purchase.
9. Special Events: Enhanced event experiences including Hullabaloo Summer Festival with foam pits, paint extravaganzas, and carnival activities. Santa's Secret Village winter event. Easter Egg'splorers spring event. Activities included in admission with some premium add-ons.
10. School Group Visits: Educational visits for schools with curriculum-aligned content. Minimum 15 children, maximum 30. Includes complimentary teacher/adult ratios. Additional fees for playbarn access. Free raffle tickets included with bookings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Hobbledown operates family adventure parks and zoos at two UK locations (Epsom and Hounslow), offering themed outdoor play villages, indoor playbarns, animal encounters, high ropes, and sensory play for children aged 2-13. Revenue is generated through day tickets, annual passes, birthday party packages, premium animal experiences, school educational visits, on-site food and retail, and gift vouchers.

Product overview

Hobbledown operates as a family adventure park and zoo brand with two locations: Hobbledown Epsom (Surrey) and Hobbledown Heath (Hounslow, West London). The core offering centers on combined indoor/outdoor play experiences integrated with animal encounters and themed adventure villages for children aged 2-13. The product portfolio comprises core day tickets and Annual Passes (individual and Escapade multi-venue), premium add-ons including Animal Experiences (Zookeeper, Capybara feeding, Lemur encounters, Birds of Prey), Birthday Party packages, and Schools/Education programs. Notable attractions include The Great Barn indoor playbarn, The Imaginarium sensory space, The Thinkery character theatre, High Ropes courses, The Net Park treetop adventure, and Marble Runs (new 2026). The Summer Season Ticket provides unlimited visits during summer with event access, while the Ultimate Family Ticket bundles admission, meals, and souvenirs. Hobbledown is owned by The Escapade Group, which acquired Farmer Ted's Adventure Farm in May 2026, expanding its portfolio to seven UK attractions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Escapade Group: The parent company and brand under which Hobbledown and other attractions operate.

Products and services

• Day Tickets (General Admission) Standard admission tickets providing access to themed outdoor play villages, indoor playbarns, animal enclosures, and all general park attractions at Hobbledown Epsom and Hobbledown Heath. Sold online in advance or at walk-up prices.
• Annual Passes Subscription-based unlimited admission passes available in three tiers: Anytime (unlimited visits including weekends, holidays, and bank holidays), Termtime (Monday–Friday during term time only), and Escapade (cross-venue access to all Escapade Group attractions). Pass holders receive 20% discount on food, beverage, and retail, and 15% off parties and animal experiences.
• Summer Season Ticket Unlimited visits to Hobbledown from 25 June to 1 September 2026, including entry to Hullabaloo Summer Festival and Carnival of Colour events. Priced from £29.50 per person (approximately 43p per day). Under 2s from £16; under 1s free.
• Animal Experiences Premium hands-on animal encounters sold as separate tickets in addition to general admission. Includes Zookeeper for a Day (ages 6+), Feed the Capybaras, Feed the Highland Cows, Meet the Meerkats, Meet the Lemurs, Birds of Prey encounters, and Meet the Tortoises.
• Birthday Parties Fully hosted birthday party packages at Hobbledown for children aged 3+ and 7+. Themes include Classic, Premium Classic, Sky Nets Adventurer, Nerf, Laser Tag, Teddy Bear Picnic, Toddler Parties, Ultimate Adventurer, Mega Games Arena, and Battle Zone. Venue hire, activities, and food are provided by park staff.
• Schools & Education Packages Curriculum-aligned educational visits for schools and home education groups covering animals, environment, geography, and biology. Includes teacher resources, risk assessments, and Home Education Days. Minimum 15 children per session with complimentary teacher/adult ratios.
• Gift Vouchers Digital and physical gift vouchers valid for 12 months from purchase. Redeemable for day tickets, party bookings, animal experiences, and Annual Passes at any Escapade Group attraction. Not valid for Birds of Prey experiences or food/beverage purchases.
• Hobbledown Epsom Family adventure park and zoo in Epsom, Surrey (Horton Lane, KT19 8PT). Features outdoor play villages, indoor playbarn (The Great Barn), animal encounters, high ropes course, The Imaginarium, The Thinkery, and themed 'Hobblers' character experiences. Targets children aged 2-13.
• Hobbledown Heath Adventure farm park and zoo in Hounslow, West London (Staines Rd, TW4 5DS). Features four themed villages (Wilderness Woods, Cribble Creek, Buckbridge Market, The Mining Village), one of the largest indoor play arenas in London, Net Park, Gripped attraction, and diverse animal collections. Targets children aged 2-13.
• Marble Runs (Outdoor Play Feature) Standalone outdoor play feature comprising seven handcrafted rustic wooden marble runs across the outdoor play area. Guests purchase a marble for £3 at checkout or till points to race down the runs. Only Hobbledown marbles permitted to avoid damage.

Quantifiable outcome

• One of London's largest indoor play arenas
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The Escapade GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 May 2026The Escapade Group is the parent company and operator of Hobbledown. Founded by Nick de Candole and Richard Farley, the group operates 7 visitor attractions across England including Hobbledown, Hobbledown Heath, Gripped London, Kidspace Croydon, Kidspace Romford, Watermouth Castle, and Farmer Ted's Adventure Farm (acquired May 2026). Hobbledown is owned and operated by Hobbledown Ltd, a subsidiary of The Escapade Group.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@HobbledownHeathAdventurePark
• Facebookfacebook.com/Hobbledownuk
• Instagraminstagram.com/hobbledownheath
• Xx.com/Hobbledown
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hobbledown-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hobbledown