Crow Wood reports bumper year

Crow Wood Leisure has announced year-end figures which demonstrate a hugely successful period for the Burnley based business.

The business has seen sales increase by 47 per cent up to its year-end in April, following last year’s launch of the £4.5m Woodland Spa, which won UK Day Spa of the Year at this year’s prestigious Professional Beauty Awards.

The business expects this year’s sales of £4.5m to increase to more than £5m in 2014/15. The Woodland Spa alone has seen sales of over £1m in its first year of operating – having proved to be a major draw, since the investment and redevelopment which includes one of Europe’s largest hydro therapy pools, a unique serenity pool and a heated outdoor pool and hot tubs.

Crow Wood’s performance represents a huge endorsement of the company’s vision, as the impact of start-up costs relating to the new Spa and Bertram’s restaurant saw the group post a loss of £27,000 in 2012/13. This has been converted to a net profit in 2013/14 in excess of £300,000, with EBITDA estimated at £850,000.

Amongst the highlights of Crow Wood’s performance have been the food and beverage operation, which has grown by 158 per cent and is still growing. The site’s two restaurants and four bars are serving over 7500 covers per month, with Bertram’s receiving acclaim as a destination restaurant and significant feature of the North West’s culinary and social scene.

Crow Wood’s 5-a-side football centre Soccer Burnley, now in its third year of operation, has seen sales rise 25 per cent. The centre is home to five outdoor, all-weather, floodlit pitches with state-of-the-art 3G pitches – a further expansion of the facility will see two 7-a-side floodlit pitches come on stream in August this year.

Andrew Brown, the managing director of Crow Wood Leisure, said: “We’re very proud of what we have achieved over the last 18 months. It’s been very tough at points, but the progress we’ve made is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our wonderful team. We’ve doubled our work force to 150 people in a tough economic climate and we’re continuing to invest this year with a capital spend of over £500,000. This will see a garden terrace extension to The Woodland Spa and the addition of further on-site accommodation and a whole range of upgrades to our health and fitness club facilities. "It gives us a great deal of pride to be one of Burnley’s success stories and to contribute to the town’s economy in the way we do. We’re offering affordable quality and sophistication in a stunning setting that can rival anywhere in the country!”