TeamSport, the UK’s number one indoor Karting brand, headed up by CEO Dominic Gaynor, was established in 1992 and currently operates 35 venues across the UK, including three trading as ScotKart in Scotland. The first track opened in Guildford, Surrey, offering a new karting experience by providing top of the range karts and facilities, and placing a huge emphasis on delivering an exceptional customer experience. TeamSport has gone on to set new standards in the industry, introducing racers to exciting multi-level tracks, and remains an important part of what differentiates TeamSport from other leisure industry providers today.
How has TeamSport faired during COVID-19 and lockdown?
Obviously it was a disappointing 12 months with tracks being closed for the best part of a year from March 2020, but we set a lockdown target of ‘coming back stronger’ which we delivered on each reopening. This was down to the hard work and team spirit of our entire workforce. Since we reopened on 17th May 2021, we’ve seen fantastically strong sales performance results; so much so that we smashed opening targets by over 50%. On top of this, our working culture and core values ensured the staff stayed connected and motivated throughout lockdown, resulting in placing Top 30 in the Large Company category of the Great Places to Work 2020 Awards, voted for by the 860 strong amazing crew.
What are you doing with TeamSport right now?
One of our main goals as a business is to provide a gateway to grassroots motorsports. We recognise that motorsport can be too costly for some people to enter. That’s why we launched the first-ever British Indoor Karting Championship, BIKC, in partnership with Motorsport UK, last year. As a business we are also driving a commitment to improving diversity, so another key initiative we’re working on with Motorsport UK is The Blair Project’s ProtoEV Challenge a social enterprise project providing opportunities for disadvantaged youths to gain experience building and racing electric karts. The challenge gives participants hands-on experience with green technology, and helps them develop transferable, practical skills in eco-conscious engineering. The ProtoEV Challenge also works to tackle elitism in motorsport, giving disadvantaged 10 to 19-year-olds a route into the industry.
Tell us a bit more about the BIKC?
The British Indoor Karting Championship is an accessible and affordable way to get in motor racing. Anyone over the age of eight years old can enter. All you need to do is register for a TeamSport Elite membership and then head down to one of our 35 UK wide tracks and start recording your lap times. Local qualifiers are open now and running until the end of September, with the regional finals in October and November and the grand final in December. We want to find the next Lewis Hamilton…and karting is where it all begins.
What’s next for TeamSport and the UK leisure industry?
We’d always intended to grow the business and we’re gearing up for a European expansion later this year, starting by opening the first of several tracks in Germany
TeamSport is also expanding its leisure offering in 2021, capitalising on the huge growth of active entertainment. We’ve launched Putt Club, a motorsport themed mini-golf and are expanding and enhancing our Food & Beverage offering to expand our customers’ experience and increase dwell time at our sites. Things are really moving in the fast lane at TeamSport, and we are excited for the future.
