Page 33 - RLIJune2026

LEISURE INSIGHT

Competitive Socialising 2.0

In this month’s Leisure Insight, Will Odwarka, Owner of the Dubai-based
Heartatwork Hospitality, explores why the future of placemaking
looks less like a mall and more like a club.
alk into any successful lei- is the hook; belonging is the value. The new
sure destination today and placemaking formula: Experience + Commu-
you’ll notice something stri- nity + Culture = Belonging. Blend day and night economies. Longevity
W king: people aren’t just con- clubs activate mornings; competitive socialising
suming; they’re participating. They’re bowling Gyms Are Becoming activates evenings - together they fill the gaps.
under neon lights, swinging golf clubs in- the New Social Clubs Design for participation, not passivity. In-
doors, solving escape rooms, throwing axes, Perhaps the most surprising evolution is teraction drives longer dwell times and stron-
or sipping cocktails between rounds of digital happening in fitness. Gyms used to be tran- ger memories.
darts. Competitive socialising - once a quirky sactional: pay, train, leave. But the rise of Think like a cultural programmer. Leagues,
subsector - has become a powerful placema- longevity culture - biohacking, recovery and workshops and social calendars matter as
king tool in modern retail. But the next wave holistic wellness - has turned them into lifes- much as rent rolls.
is bigger than games. It’s about belonging. tyle destinations. This is placemaking in 2026: not just buil-
As landlords and operators look for an- Today’s nextgen gyms are: ding space, but building rituals.
chors that can’t be replicated online, compe- Longevity labs: cold plunges, redlight the-
titive socialising is evolving from entertain- rapy, metabolic testing The Risks: Novelty Fatigue and
ment into community infrastructure. The Third spaces: lounges, coworking, social Operational Complexity
most interesting moves are coming from programming The sector isn’t without challenges:
unexpected places: boutique gyms turning Community hubs: events, workshops, cura- Novelty fatigue - Concepts built only on “the
into longevity clubs, wellness studios beco- ted member groups new thing” fade unless they engineer commu-
ming social hubs and hybrids like Fortune Hospitality-led: cafés, retail, conciergestyle nity and repeat-use habits.
Favors blending nightlife, sport and hospita- service Operational intensity - These are hospitality
lity into a single cultural moment. In other words, they’re becoming clubs, not businesses plus tech, equipment and game-
This isn’t a passing trend; it’s a strate- facilities. play. Weak execution sinks great ideas.
gic response to how people want to spend This mirrors competitive socialising: people Overtheming - Designing for Instagram ra-
their time - and what they now expect from gather around shared interests. Whether it is ther than longevity creates spaces that age fast
physical space. padel, HIIT, darts or breathwork is almost se- and don’t earn loyalty.
condary. The value is the ritual - weekly mee- Misalignment with the development - Compe-
From “Something to Do” tups, familiar faces, progress and belonging. titive socialising thrives in the right ecosystem;
to “Somewhere to Be” For landlords, this is gold: repeat visitation, the wrong context creates friction, not vibrancy.
The first generation of competitive sociali- daytime activation and emotional loyalty - three The winners will treat these concepts not as
sing - Flight Club, Puttshack, Swingers and things traditional retail struggles to sustain. novelties, but as long-term cultural anchors.
Bounce - proved people crave experiences
that are active, social and Instagrammable. The Opportunity: Placemaking What Comes Next:
These concepts delivered footfall, dwell time That Builds Emotional Equity The Rise of Hybrid Social Clubs BLACK AND
and a reason to visit beyond shopping. Competitive socialising and wellness-as-com- The next frontier will blur leisure, wellness,
But generation two is different: less no- munity share a strength: they create emotional hospitality and community. Expect longevity
velty, more identity. Consumers want places equity. They make people feel something clubs with social calendars, gyms with ni-
that reflect who they are (and who they’re be- about a place. That connection turns a deve- ghtlife energy, competitive socialising with
coming). So the best operators aren’t selling lopment into a destination and a tenant into recovery components, members-only spaces
activities - they’re selling membership, com- part of the fabric. built around sport and retail integrated into WHITE IN
munity and culture. For landlords, the opportunity is clear: experiential ecosystems.
Newcomers like Fortune Favors don’t po- Curate ecosystems, not tenants. A bowling In short: the future of leisure is hybrid, ho-
sition themselves as “games venues”. They act concept beside a cocktail bar beside a bou- listic and human. Competitive socialising
FULL COLOUR
like modern social clubs, where competitive tique gym creates a lifestyle corridor, not a was the spark; community-driven placema-
play is simply connective tissue. The activity row of units. king is the fire.

With
thanks Find out more
to
Lanserhof at The Arts Club, London, UK
32 Retail & Leisure International June 2026