Leisure entrepreneur eyes Nottingham for indoor cricket venture

Nottingham looks set to become home to a new cricket venture set up by Clive Watson, the leisure entrepreneur.

Watson, the co-founder of Capital Pub Company and City Pub Company, has revealed plans to launch Sixes Growth. He has teamed up with fellow co-founders – former cricketer David Nash and his brother Glen, and Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar.

The move follows the successful launch of Sixes Indoor Cricket, which promised to “blend cricket with technology-driven competitive socialising, dining, and hospitality”, according to reports in The Times.

Sixes Growth has raised £1.5m in seed funding from family and friends, and plans to land £10m over the next two years to fund its nationwide expansion. It has already acquired its first site at Headingley, Leeds.

Sixes Growth plans to open ten sites by 2026 in cities Nottingham – as well as Cardiff, Bristol, Southampton and Brighton. The venues will offer immersive indoor cricket, VIP and corporate hospitality, premium drinks and pop-up dining experiences led by Michelin-starred chefs, alongside exclusive sporting events.

Watson said: “As a huge cricket lover, I am bowled over by the potential of Sixes Growth and believe we have an exciting opportunity to build a leading experiential, sports-led entertainment business focussed on our great game. The combined skills of the founding team are unrivalled and we have created a corporate structure that enables our fellow investors to leverage that knowledge, sporting prowess and a proven business track record of delivery, to realise the most from their investment and share in the future success of the group.”