It has been announced that popular, leading family-entertainment and leisure centre owners, Kingsway Golf Centres, have completed a takeover of the iconic Cambridge Lakes golf course, on Trumpington Road in Cambridge, just two miles from the city centre.
The family-owned Kingsway Golf Centre in Melbourn saw an investment of over £1m during the pandemic with the launch of Jurassic Links adventure golf, an upgrade to the driving range, and the introduction of the popular Jamaica Blue café brand in the refurbished clubhouse.
The takeover of Cambridge Lakes is the company’s latest investment in quality, fun-packed, healthy entertainment, and sport for families in the region. As households face a significant impact from the cost-of-living crisis, many are unable to travel or afford holidays due to the rising cost of fuel. Therefore, now more than ever, they must have access to family-friendly services on their doorstep.
Kingsway’s Julian Dell, comments: “Kingsway Golf Centre in Melbourn has gone from strength to strength, and we are delighted to be welcoming more families, groups, and golfers than ever before. The investment in Cambridge Lakes is important to our key goal as a business, to provide the best quality entertainment and leisure services in this region. Bob Barnes, who is standing down to retire, has developed a beautiful and popular centre and we are excited to continue this legacy going forward.”
Cambridge Lakes, with its central Cambridge location, will remain a popular centre for junior, amateur, and new golfers. The Kingsway team will increase PGA professional expertise on-site and introduce junior golf academies and beginner groups as a priority, which have already been introduced at the Melbourn centre.
Whilst the centres commit to fun, family-friendly entertainment, there is also a serious health message alongside this. Golf is seeing a resurgence of interest, which has seen adventure golf, footgolf and pitch and putt services grow over recent years as families seek healthy, outdoor, and cost-effective activities for their children.
Julian says: “Cambridge Lakes offers the unusual benefit of not only being an open space sports centre in its own right, but it is also very centrally located and is easily accessible for those who live locally. Cycle routes to the course are actively used and provide a further health benefit for families, whilst also reducing the need to travel by car to take part in activities like golf.”
Whilst the new owners fully intend to maintain the ethos and commitments for which Cambridge Lakes is renowned, the intention – in time – is to invest to update the centre to bring the existing facilities up to date, with further investment planned for the future.
“Cambridge Lakes has been so successful because of the commitment to local people and wannabe golfers, there is no chance of that changing under our ownership. Our intention of the coming weeks, and months, is to work closely with existing colleagues, and customers, to streamline some of the processes and service to ensure the smoothest transition before even considering any changes.”
Cambridge Lakes has remained open throughout the takeover, and bookings remain open for the upcoming bank holiday weekends and throughout the summer for individuals, groups and families who wish to visit.