A FAMILY attraction in York is recruiting to meet rising demand after a surge in bookings since reopening.

Hollywood Bowl and Puttstars, at Vangarde Shopping Park, needs up to 15 more staff as families and friends start socialising again with the easing of Covid restrictions.

Andy Peacock, centre manager at Hollywood Bowl York, said: “As a group we were 50 per cent up on revenue last week than the same week in 2019.”

He expects a busy summer and another influx of bookings in the Christmas build-up, suspecting that people will want to make up for missed celebrations.

“Last weekend was the best weekend we have had since we reopened at both Hollywood Bowl and Puttstars in York,” said Andy. “We were booked up. Half term is looking really good. We are recommending that people book; they have got into the habit of doing that anyway which is good. It helps us with social distancing, and the numbers, as we have a certain capacity, and there are not as many queues.”

He added: “We retained the majority of our core team but, because we expect to be so much busier, we are recruiting. We originally had about 20. We are looking to go to about 35 staff to meet the increased demand in the summer holidays and into the winter months which get even busier.”

Covid safety measures include social distancing, face masks, the use of lane dividers, along with plain and patterned bowls to keep them separate for different groups.

“It is great to be back,” said Andy. “For me personally it’s great after a year on furlough in two separate stints. There’s a different feeling.

“Previously it felt quite tense at times between lockdowns because people didn’t know what was happening with rules changing. It is definitely more relaxed. People seem a lot more positive. I think there’s more light at the end of the tunnel.”