Skip to content

Future of sold surfing lake remains uncertain

Bea Swallow
BBC News, Bristol
Nick Hounsfield An aerial image of The Wave in Bristol. It is a large triangle shape with a pier extending through the middle of it. It is surrounded by fields and trees, with a small roundabout in front and a wooden reception area and restaurant. Nick Hounsfield
The complex, which opened in 2019, cost £26m to build and can generate up to 1,000 waves an hour

The future of an inland surfing lake remains uncertain as the facility is sold amid a row over finances.

The Wave, on the outskirts of Bristol, shut suddenly on Thursday and cancelled bookings after being placed into technical insolvency.

CEO Hazel Geary announced on Friday evening the site, under the entity Surf Bristol Limited, had been sold to a company called Sea Level Wave Company Ltd.

Negotiations had been taking place with the aim of reopening the facility on Saturday, but the BBC understands those have broken down at the last minute.

Katya Og A group of children wearing helmets and green t-shirts stand in the water with a surfboard each, surrounding an instructor wearing a red t-shirt.Katya Og
Since 2019, the facility has welcomed 400,000 visitors and enabled 400 para surfers to surf as part of regular surf sessions

Majority owners Sullivan Street Partners claimed the closure followed problems surrounding the bankruptcy of a director of another funding partner, JAR Wave.

The BBC has approached the firm for comment.

There is no clarity as yet for customers and potentially as many as 200 employees of The Wave as to what happens next.

Ms Geary said the site now cannot operate and The Wave Group, owners of the surf park, is unable to "facilitate a smooth handover due to the significant conflicts".

The website is inoperable and Ms Geary claims her access to all digital assets have been blocked, including emails, documents and social media accounts.

Image Kabin An aerial picture of a surfer riding a white water wave. The water is clear and bright blue, and is sparkling in the sun.Image Kabin
CEO Hazel Geary said the decision had been driven by a "financial technicality completely unrelated to commercial matters".

In a statement, The Wave Group said these actions have "removed the business from the investors and staff that have built and grown the park".

It added: "Whilst this is very disappointing to lose a managed site in this way, we are mostly sorry for the upset the actions of others have caused for Wavemakers and clients of The Wave.

"We march on and are determined to continue our mission to deliver an amazing inland surf experience for all."

The company says it remains on track to open a separate namesake site in London in 2027 and also has "several other opportunities under development".

Negotiations regarding the immediate future of the The Wave in Bristol are continuing.

Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.

More on this story
Related Internet Links