Spider Entertainment, a design/build and operations management service provider for FECs and immersive entertainment venues, has established itself as a pioneer in the expanding immersive experience sector. With a niche in providing full turnkey solutions, Spider Entertainment is carving a distinct path in the entertainment industry. It will soon demonstrate its expertise by opening its own branded immersive entertainment venue, Spider Box Manchester Printworks.
Rob Hetherington, CEO and founder of Spider Entertainment, speaks to blooloop about the company’s unique approach and vision.
The vision behind Spider Entertainment
Hetherington came up with the concept for Spider Entertainment in 2019, as malls and landlords started to consider turning their properties into entertainment hubs. During the pandemic, he assembled the ideal team of location-based entertainment specialists to create a brand-new entertainment idea. He also made it his mission to effectively establish a source of funds dedicated to opening immersive entertainment venues.
“Spider Entertainment designs and builds its own experiences, but also designs, builds and operates for others,” he says. “There are amazing companies like Merlin that have scaled. Still, there are far too few international and truly big operating companies to serve the huge need for experiences that were demanded long before COVID, let alone since.”
The company’s mission is clear: to fill the gap in the market for high-demand immersive experiences by seamlessly combining the creative and operational processes. “The absolute key opportunity we are filling is providing operating services for a lot more of the demand out there,” says Hetherington. “To do that best, you need to have your own experiences that you are creating and scaling.”
Assembling the right team
Hetherington knew he needed the right people on board to bring his vision to life: “We needed co-founders with decades of experience.”
Today’s nine-strong founding team has over 200 years of combined real-world experience, including specialities in ideation, design, research, feasibility, immersive technology, business planning, project development, project management, general contracting, operations and more. Hetherington himself has 20 years of experience in international sales, marketing, and business development for start-ups, SMEs, and MNCs, as well as over a decade of experience in location-based entertainment.
“Our team covers every span. I knew that once the team was formed, the first concept would come from that. It’s a case of ‘Put the team on the bus, then figure out the destination we’re going to’, not ‘Here’s a great idea, who could deliver it?’ We’ve established a team that will deliver a fast-moving operating company to create concepts perfect for the marketplace in a sector we want to pursue.
“In our experience, some of the big reasons why great concepts don’t get to market, or when they do get to market, they can’t scale properly, is because there is not a complete understanding of the full process of ideation to delivery and launch to operating.
“Fundamentally, the operations mindset isn’t threaded throughout every component, from concept to build.” The Spider team has this mindset at every stage of the project.
The team has already worked on several successful projects. This includes partnerships with Merlin Entertainments, Inverness Castle Experience, Royal Hospital Chelsea, Lightning VR, DiVR Labs, Creative Works FEC Products and more.
Spider Box Manchester Printworks: a game-changer in immersive entertainment
One of the most exciting ventures under the Spider Entertainment umbrella is Spider Box Manchester Printworks. Set to open in the heart of Manchester, this venue promises to be a revolutionary addition to the city’s entertainment landscape. Spider Box focuses on immersive music, quizzes, cocktails, and games, targeting a diverse audience, primarily aged 18 to 45, with secondary demographics spanning 12 to 55 years old.
“Spider Box is the product of focusing on immersive music, quizzes, cocktails, and games,” Hetherington explains. “We’re taking the absolute best explosion of competitive socialising and really focusing on the narrative of immersive music, which hasn’t been done.”
Visitors to Spider Box Manchester Printworks can expect an unparalleled entertainment experience. The venue will operate during the day and into the early hours, catering to a nightlife crowd with a unique blend of live music, competitive games, and premium food and drinks.
“Spider Box is fundamentally a post-5 p.m. venue,” Hetherington says. “We have an immersive performance space delivering live music, streamed music, and meta-human digital DJ music, all with an immersive backdrop.”
What’s on now, what’s coming soon
In addition to live performances, Spider Box reimagined the classic music quiz experience, allowing guests to engage in music-themed quizzes, activity rounds, and immersive karaoke. “We have reinvented the music quiz by using our tech-infused booths. The boxes provide music questions, team-based challenges, and singing rounds, all hosted by a character within each box.
“The critical thing about Spider Box is that it’s ‘What’s on Now, What’s Coming Soon’. So, our specialist music team is carefully curating the live performances. Our game content will also be regularly updated based on the feedback that we are getting.”
The venue will also boast a sophisticated food and drink menu, elevating the dining experience to complement the entertainment. “Our food is going to be amazing. We’re taking our premium food to another level, with everything made from scratch.”
Spider Box Manchester Printworks: the perfect location
Choosing Manchester Printworks as the location for Spider Box was a strategic decision.
“Printworks Manchester is the ideal place. Firstly, because it’s Manchester, and Manchester is perfect for a business with immersive music at the core of the concept. Manchester is one of the best music cities in which we could launch,” says Hetherington.
“Additionally, Printworks has an amazing vision for evolving its location. It’s right in the heart of Manchester, ideally located, and has made a huge investment in the facilities and audio. Now, it will become a destination in itself, with that vision of how to turn it into an immersive leisure space and an experience. We’re part of that strategy, and we’re fortunate to be the first business of that nature to launch there.”
Within that primary audience of 18 to 45-year-olds and secondary audience of 12 to 55-year-olds, Hetherington explains that, while that audience is equally split between males and females, “We absolutely want women to be at the heart of everything that we are doing.”
This is in response to the fact that competitive socialising venues, with attractions such as darts or axe-throwing, can often be skewed towards a male bias.
“We see it as an ideal venue for either a girl’s night out or a guy’s night out, for date nights, for popping in after a shopping trip, for brunch. We want to be that social hub, but there are also amazing immersive performances on the stage. It’s very much a destination that people can come out to and stay for an entire evening because there will be so much going on.”
Essentially, Spider Box will cater to two massive trends, combining social entertainment with live music events.
Tapping into key trends at Spider Box Manchester Printworks
Hetherington addresses the growing trend for social entertainment, talking about the reasons behind its continued growth and explaining how Spider Box will fill this consumer demand:
“We know that the experience economy is exploding. We can see it in the statistics and research, but also from what we see in our own circles of friends. There’s been a massive upturn in people spending their money more on doing things rather than acquiring stuff. It started before COVID-19, and we know it has accelerated even more since the pandemic. However, in the entertainment space, particularly in hospitality or music spaces, there is still a considerable untapped demand for experiences that sit on the premium side.
“There are examples, particularly in competitive socialising and social entertainment, where the good concepts thrive and scale quickly because of the demand. But the space has to have a premium offering.
“Where we see the vision and future is that it needs more than a single purpose. So, we need to combine things that people want to experience. For instance, there needs to be something that understands the local trends and provides a premium experience in the food and drink space. And that then ties in with what other experiences you can provide. The massive boom in live music and performance spaces warrants us taking ownership of that and applying our immersive edge.
“We are combining things that have always been popular – people have always enjoyed a night out with music – with things that are succeeding right now, which is the premiumisation of food and drink, and spaces where there are more engaging options for socialising and doing activities together.”
Sim Racing and other potential games
As the company builds and expands the Spider Box brand, the vision is for on-demand, location-based entertainment experience venues focusing on music, with live performances, digital performances and games. The locations will be multipurpose and also tailored to the local market.
An example of this bespoke approach is the addition of Sim Racing to the debut venue.
“In terms of the game component, we will be looking at where there is a massive need for an immersive, fun game that is in demand but in short supply. Sim Racing is hugely popular in this market, and there is a good demand in Manchester, too. We are teaming up with Base Performance Simulators, which is the best out there and has the most extensive range of games. It allows us to use our tongue-in-cheek humour that threads throughout the performances and our music quizzes.”
“For example, it won’t just be about racing F1 cars. You can choose all sorts of vehicles within your parties of six. Say you’re there with friends for your birthday; they can select cool cars for themselves and put you in a Fiat 500! It’s a fantastic driving experience, but it also fits with our narrative; it has that humour and that social element.
“In our rollout, if there is a big demand for other games, we have the spaces for them, as long as it doesn’t detract from our whole narrative. We will offer amazing content that fits local audiences. And that isn’t just good for the consumer; it’s also great for the landlord.”
Scaling in America
Spider Entertainment is not just focusing on the UK market but also expanding its footprint in America. “Our pipeline of services is huge. That is why we’ve now opened an office in America to take advantage of the scaling of projects there.”
This expansion is part of Spider Entertainment’s broader strategy to offer lean turnkey solutions globally, catering to the increasing demand for immersive entertainment experiences. “We are targeting projects of a certain value, typically $5 million or less, that can be delivered much more quickly than larger companies can,” Hetherington says. “Large operating companies desperately need this niche, hence why we are currently undertaking a number of projects around the world.”
Spider Entertainment prides itself on its ability to manage every aspect of a project, from ideation to delivery and operation. This comprehensive approach sets the company apart in the industry. “We take on full fiscal responsibility for the delivery of projects with an operator’s mindset. This enables us to create and scale great concepts quickly and efficiently.”
The company’s commitment to a lean and efficient process is evident in its operations. “We know what it means to look after the pennies and provide a lean turnkey service,” Hetherington adds. “This philosophy ensures that Spider Entertainment can deliver high-quality experiences while maintaining cost-effectiveness, a crucial factor in today’s competitive market. After all, we are doing it for ourselves with Spider Box.”
Spider Entertainment looks to the future
As Spider Entertainment continues to innovate and expand, the future looks promising. With the launch of Spider Box Manchester Printworks and ongoing projects in America and beyond, the company is well-positioned to become a leader in the immersive entertainment industry.
“Our goal is to provide full turnkey delivery services through Spider Entertainment Services and to open more Spider Box venues. There is a huge opportunity to enable companies to grow and build their experiences quicker with our lean process.”
Spider Entertainment is redefining the landscape of immersive entertainment with its unique blend of creativity, operational excellence, and strategic vision. As the company scales new heights, it remains committed to delivering exceptional experiences that captivate and engage audiences worldwide. With Hetherington and his expert co-founder team at the helm, Spider Entertainment is poised to become a dominant force in the industry, setting new standards for immersive entertainment experiences.
