One of the largest independently owned operators of trampoline and indoor children’s leisure parks in the UK, Jump Inc, headquartered in Rotherham, has been acquired by its Norwegian private equity-backed rival, AirHop.
AirHop operates 18 trampoline and activity centers across the UK and is owned by Activeon, the largest trampoline park operator in Europe, which boasts a total of 57 parks in the Nordics, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, with backing from the Norwegian private equity firm Equip Capital.
Established in 2015 by shareholders and directors Michael Brockelbank and Lee Shipley, Jump Inc began with its first park in Rotherham and has since expanded to eight locations, including the newly opened site in West Wood Cross, Kent, with plans for further expansion.
The three current director shareholders—Brockelbank, Shipley, and Mark Poole—will continue to provide consultancy support for the business in the coming months.
Castle Square Corporate Finance, a deal advisory firm, along with the law firm Lupton Fawcett, provided advisory services to the shareholders of Jump Inc during the transaction.
Brockelbank remarked:
“The sale of Jump Inc represents a significant success story; our objective was always to develop a portfolio of sites and sell, which we have successfully accomplished as a team. The outlook for the business is promising, with planned investments in new features aimed at enhancing the experience for our customers. Growing to over 500 employees in a relatively short timeframe has presented challenges, but we have successfully navigated these to achieve the goals we set when we launched in 2015.”
Tim McClure, managing director at AirHop, stated:
“We are delighted to welcome Jump Inc into the AirHop family as we continue to expand and strengthen our presence in and around Yorkshire. Lee, Michael, and Mark have built an exceptional business that prioritizes guest experience in every decision made. We eagerly anticipate collaborating with the outstanding staff at Jump Inc as we pursue further growth and investment in new activities for our guests.”