High Lodge Leisure Limited

What High Lodge Leisure Limited does

High Lodge Leisure Limited is a privately held, family-owned leisure and hospitality operator based on a 120-acre woodland estate in Hinton, near Darsham, Suffolk (IP17 3QT), between Southwold and Aldeburgh. Founded in 1993 by 14-time FITASC Sporting World, European and British Champion John Bidwell, the company runs an integrated destination offering sporting activities (clay pigeon shooting, archery, air rifle, fishing), 19 luxury self-catering holiday lodges with private hot tubs across three locations (Lakeview, Waters Edge, Claywood), venue hire for weddings, wakes and celebrations of life, and corporate conferences and team-building events, supported by an on-site cafe/restaurant and retail shop. The business operates as a direct-to-consumer venue with no channel partners or resellers, taking bookings through its own website (running the Alacer third-party booking platform), by telephone, and via email.

The commercial model combines per-stay lodge rentals (£599 to over £1,000 per break, with £100 non-refundable deposit), per-person activity pricing (£8-£70 across fishing day tickets through private clay shooting tuition), quote-based wedding and corporate packages, and ancillary F&B and retail revenue. Customers span four segments: individual leisure guests and families (primary), corporate and business clients, wedding and celebration clients, and shooting and field sports enthusiasts (the latter including competitors at registered CPSA events and the British Open Sporting & Sportrap Championships). Activities and lodges are priced for unit or per-stay billing with no subscription or recurring contracts.

The underlying technology stack is minimal: there is no proprietary software, AI, or technology product. Digital infrastructure consists of the Alacer online booking system, Google Analytics, standard Wi-Fi for lodge guests, and a presence on Facebook and Instagram. The company has no external funding, no parent company, and no subsidiaries; leadership comprises the Bidwell family (John Bidwell as Owner and Director; Jane Coppen as Director and General Manager; Helen Gooch as Director and Operations Manager) supported by APSI-qualified clay shooting instructors. Operating geographies are confined to the United Kingdom, with primary markets in Suffolk and the East of England.

Name

High Lodge Leisure Limited

Legal name

High Lodge Leisure Ltd

Website

https://highlodge.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

High Lodge Leisure Limited is a family-owned leisure and hospitality operator on a 120-acre Suffolk estate offering 19 holiday lodges, clay shooting, archery, air rifle, fishing, weddings, corporate events, and an on-site cafe and shop, serving leisure guests, families, corporate clients, and shooting enthusiasts in the East of England.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leisure and Hospitality Venue

NAICS

Traveler Accommodation (7211), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Hunting & Fishing Lodges (Sporting Lodges) (THAGAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Nature Lodges & Eco-Resorts (THAAAAAI)

Keywords

• Luxury holiday lodges
• Clay pigeon shooting
• Wedding venue hire
• Corporate team building
• Field sports activities

Headquarters

HQ city

Saxmundham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Holiday Lodge Accommodation: High Lodge operates 19 luxury self-catering holiday lodges across three locations on the property (Lakeview, Waters Edge, and Claywood). Lodges range from 1-3 bedrooms, sleeping 2-6 guests. Revenue is generated through per-stay rental fees, with check-in days on Mondays (4/7 nights), Fridays (3/7 nights), and Saturdays (7 nights). A £100 non-refundable deposit secures bookings, with the balance due 2 months prior to arrival. Pricing varies by lodge type, season, and length of stay, ranging from approximately £599 to over £1,000 per break. Optional extras (champagne, hampers, treats) are add-on purchases.
2. Clay Shooting & Activities: The venue generates activity revenue from clay pigeon shooting (have-a-go experiences, structured packages, private tuition), air rifle sessions and lessons, archery, and fishing. Family activity sessions combine multiple activities at discounted bundle pricing. Shooting memberships are also offered. Competition entry fees contribute additional revenue, with registered and non-registered competitions throughout the year.
3. Venue Hire & Events: The Champion Suite and Annexe Conference Room are hired out for weddings, wakes, celebrations of life, corporate events, conferences, birthday parties, and other private functions. Wake packages are priced per person (£19.95-£26.45 pp). Conference hire includes room rental with or without catering. Corporate activity packages combine activities with meeting room hire.
4. Food & Beverage (Cafe & Restaurant): The on-site cafe and restaurant serve meals, snacks, and beverages to visitors and lodge guests, with pricing varying by menu item. The cafe is dog-friendly. Lodge guests receive a 10% discount on food and drink. Revenue from food and beverage supplements the core accommodation and activity revenues.
5. Retail Shop: A retail shop on site sells shooting clothing, accessories, gun sales (new and second-hand), shooting publications and DVDs, and gift vouchers. An eBay shop (highlodgeshop) provides an additional online sales channel for goods.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

High Lodge Leisure operates a 120-acre leisure and hospitality estate on the Suffolk coast offering 19 luxury self-catering holiday lodges, clay pigeon shooting with professional instruction, complementary field sports (archery, air rifle, fishing), venue hire for weddings, wakes, and corporate conferences, and an on-site cafe, retail shop, and shooting memberships. The business combines sporting activities, accommodation, and event hosting on a single secluded site.

Product overview

High Lodge Leisure Limited is a multi-faceted leisure and hospitality venue offering a unified portfolio of activity, accommodation, and event services across 120 acres of Suffolk countryside. The core offerings comprise: (1) Sporting activities including clay shooting, archery, air rifle, and fishing; (2) Holiday accommodation in 19 luxury lodges with optional hot tubs; (3) Venue hire for weddings, wakes, and celebrations; (4) Corporate conference and team building facilities. Supporting services include an on-site restaurant/café, retail shop, gun storage, and gift vouchers. The venue operates a proprietary online booking system for activities and lodge reservations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clay Shooting World-class clay pigeon shooting facility on 120 acres offering practice clays, professional APSI-qualified instruction, structured experience packages (25/40/50 clay), private tuition, memberships, registered CPSA competitions, and group activities for hen, stag, and corporate events. Beginners and experienced shooters are both served.
• Archery 60-minute instructor-led archery sessions for ages 7 and above (and adults), available standalone or as part of family activity bundles and corporate team building events.
• Air Rifle Air rifle shooting range offering 1-hour practice sessions and lessons with equipment and pellets provided, for adults and juniors aged 7 and above.
• Fishing Well-stocked fishing lakes offering day tickets, short-break tickets (3-4 days), weekly tickets, and private pegs reserved for lodge guests. Valid fishing licence required.
• Family Activity Sessions Multi-activity bundles combining archery, air rifle, and clay shooting for families and groups, with a 10% cafe discount for participants booking 1-3 activities.
• Youngsters Activity Experience Half-day (9.30am-1pm) activity programme for children aged 10-16 covering air rifle, clay shooting, and archery with instruction, equipment, refreshments, and a High Lodge goodie bag included.
• Holiday Lodges 19 luxury self-catering holiday lodges across Lakeview, Waters Edge, and Claywood configurations, sleeping 2-6 guests. Waters Edge and Claywood lodges include private outdoor hot tubs; Claywood options are dog-friendly. Bookings run on Monday, Friday, and Saturday changeovers with a £100 non-refundable deposit.
• Weddings Exclusive-use wedding venue centred on the Champion Suite accommodating up to 180 seated guests or 350 evening reception guests, supported by 19 on-site lodges for wedding-party accommodation and a dedicated events team.
• Wakes & Celebration of Life Champagne Suite venue hire for wakes and celebrations of life with catering packages (Traditional Wake Buffet, Afternoon Tea, Hot Buffet) priced per person with minimum guest requirements and optional bar opening.
• Conference Facilities Meeting and conference room hire featuring the Champagne Suite (capacity 200+) and Annexe Conference Room (up to 8 boardroom), with optional catering and event support for corporate and business clients.
• Corporate Activities Corporate team building and hospitality packages combining clay shooting, archery, air rifle, and fishing with catering and meeting room options for off-site corporate events.
• Food & Drink On-site cafe and restaurant serving breakfast, lunches, snacks, and beverages to lodge guests and walk-in visitors, with dog-friendly areas and a 10% lodge-guest discount.
• Shop On-site retail outlet selling shooting clothing and accessories, new and second-hand guns, shooting publications and DVDs, and gift vouchers.
• Gift Vouchers Gift vouchers purchasable online covering activities and experiences at High Lodge, redeemable through the Alacer booking platform.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Bisley Shooting Ground: Premier UK clay shooting venue in Surrey hosting major CPSA competitions and offering tuition. Direct competitor on the shooting-sport side, attracting the same competitive shooter cohort and competing for championship hosting that drives lodging demand.
• Bluestone National Park Resort: Welsh lodge/resort with self-catering accommodation, on-site activities, restaurant and event hosting. Closely comparable integrated venue model targeting families and groups, with similar lodge/activity bundling.
• Forest Holidays: UK's leading operator of luxury self-catering forest cabins/lodges across multiple national forests. Direct comparable to High Lodge's 19-lodge estate in product type, customer base (families/couples seeking nature-immersive stays), and amenity-led positioning (hot tubs, on-site activities).
• EJ Churchill Shooting School: High-end UK shooting ground offering clay shooting tuition, simulated game days, and gundog training. Directly comparable on shooting-school expertise and instructor quality, though without on-site lodging.
• Sandy Balls Holiday Village: New Forest holiday village offering lodges, woodland activities, dining and event venues. Comparable diversified rural leisure venue targeting families, couples and groups with similar activity/accommodation blend.
• Barbury Shooting School: Wiltshire-based shooting school and country pursuits venue with corporate events, tuition and simulated game days. Comparable shooting-sport venue competing for the same corporate hospitality and competitive shooter segments.

Broad incumbents

• Hoseasons: UK's largest broker/operator of holiday lodges, parks and cottages. Comparable on the self-catering lodge product, but operates as a scaled national marketplace — competes for the same family break bookings and benefits from superior digital marketing reach.
• Center Parcs UK: Large UK operator of forest village resorts with lodges, on-site activities, dining and event facilities. Comparable business model and customer segments, but at much larger scale and broader geographic footprint; positions High Lodge as a smaller, more specialist alternative.
• Landal GreenParks UK: European holiday-park operator with UK parks offering lodges and on-site activities. Comparable integrated leisure venue model, with broader geographic and capital backing.

Emerging players

• Sporting Targets: Bedfordshire shooting and activity venue offering clay shooting, archery, air rifle and corporate packages. Comparable multi-activity leisure venue with similar activity mix and corporate channel, though without lodging.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/High-Lodge-Leisure-Ltd-395217967171807
• Instagraminstagram.com/high_lodge_leisure_ltd/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/high-lodge-leisure-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 High Lodge Leisure Limited