Entertainment for all the family as new leisure complex opens in Llanelli

A new family entertainment centre has opened in Llanelli, creating 30 jobs with 17,000 square feet of soft play facilities, a bowling alley, sports court and indoor go-karting.

Run by Georgia and David Edwards who previously owned The Play King in Dafen, Pinopolis has opened in the former CEM Days car showroom on Sandy Road. The fit-out was part-funded by a six figure loan from the Development Bank of Wales following an introduction by Visit Wales.

With Wales’ first and only immersive Brunswick Spark Bowling lanes, Pinopolis is open from 10am to 10pm seven days a week and has a license to sell alcohol.

Director David Edwards said: “Covid meant that we took the decision to close The Play King and transfer the assets to create this new family entertainment centre but it wouldn’t have happened without the support of the Development Bank. We are so grateful that they stepped in with the funding needed to complete the fit-out and bring this amazing new facility to life for the benefit of our customers, both young and old alike.”

Senior Investment Executive Navid Falatoori said: “Pinopolis is the first of its kind for Carmarthenshire and a real asset for local people and tourists alike; providing much needed all-weather leisure facilities and creating jobs. It’s a flagship destination attraction for the area that will be continuously developed by David and Georgia over the coming months and years to ensure that it is firmly on the Wales tourism map.”

Corporate finance advice to Pinopolis was provided by John Saunders of Cardiff-based Cadre Advisory. He added: “We have worked closely with the proprietors and the Development Bank on this over a 2-year period to bring this exciting new Covid delayed project to the marketplace.”

The funding for Pinopolis came from the £50 million Wales Tourism Investment Fund. Financed entirely by Welsh Government, loans between £100,000 and £5 million are available for distinctive, stand out tourism projects that align with the priorities of Welsh Government. Projects may include high quality, innovative products, all weather attractions, distinctively Welsh visitor focused experiences, innovative cultural or heritage projects, unusual places to stay and flagship attractions.