By Andy Marston, Sports Pundit
The Topgolf and Puttshack founders are back with a new “competitive socialisation” concept: Poolhouse, a high-tech, hospitality-driven spin on the classic game of pool.
Backed by $34M in seed funding, Brothers Dave and Steve Jolliffe are aiming to build the next global entertainment franchise. Investors include Sharp Alpha, dmg ventures (Daily Mail), David Blitzer (76ers, Devils), and Simon Sports. Former Puttshack investor and F1 Arcade board member Andrew O'Brien is CEO.
Poolhouse’s first site opens in London next year, featuring 20 augmented pool tables, upscale F&B, and a central Liverpool Street location.
They plan to expand into major US cities by 2027, franchise internationally (starting with Australia), and license the proprietary tech to third parties from pool halls to apartment blocks.
Following the Topgolf blueprint, the Jolliffes are betting on venue design, exclusive patents, and repeat-friendly gameplay to win in a booming $100B+ global “eatertainment” sector.
Why It Matters:
Topgolf changed the way people think about driving ranges. Puttshack made mini golf cool again. Now, Poolhouse is doing the same for pool, turning a traditional game into a tech-enabled, social-first experience.
What’s exciting isn’t just the gameplay, but the model. Like Topgolf, Poolhouse is built on a strong, patented tech platform, allowing them to license the software anywhere there’s a table. This is much more than a venue play.
As venue owners compete to keep people engaged and extend time-in-venue, and patrons look for fun, repeatable nights out, Poolhouse sits right at the intersection. Pool is low-barrier, social, and competitive, making it a perfect fit for this next wave of experience-led entertainment.
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