The Park Playground, a unique VR franchise, has appointed Bill Painter as its new head of franchise. This vital role will lead the growth of the company’s franchise and turnkey VR System offerings in new international markets.
Painter joins The Park Playground from Snap Fitness, a global fitness brand with over 1,000 locations, where he oversaw the expansion of its gym franchise business to establish over 30 facilities in the UK and Ireland between 2020 and 2023. This experience equips him with a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the franchise sector. Additionally, he has held senior commercial positions in business services at Redde Northgate and Regus, two FTSE 250 firms.
Continuing rapid growth
In this role, Painter will spearhead The Park Playground’s global expansion plan in close collaboration with the senior leadership team. His main priorities will be developing The Park Playground’s market share in the UK, and in Western Europe and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) where he will focus on bringing the firm’s franchise model and turnkey solution, which have proven successful in Europe, to new markets.
He will take the lead in identifying new prospects and developing strategic relationships, and – above all – he will make sure that both new and current franchise owners have a flawless experience.
Painter says: “I’m thrilled to join The Park Playground and looking forward to working closely with our franchise owners. The Park’s franchise model and turnkey solutions bring huge benefits for brands looking for a profitable way to diversify their entertainment portfolios and attract broader audiences. The Park provides ongoing support throughout the process, both onsite and virtually following installation.
“I’m looking forward to forging new partnerships and helping to steer the company through its next chapter of growth and innovation.”
Peter Vindevogel, The Park Playground’s CEO, comments: “With a strong presence across Europe and a growing market in the UK, Bill joins us at a really exciting time as we are poised to continue our rapid growth. The success and prosperity of our franchise and VR System solution owners is a priority. With the strategic appointment of Bill, we are making a commitment to maximising return on investment for our valued partners.”
The Park Playground recently revealed that Center Parcs is the first customer for its new turnkey VR facility solution, The Park VR System. The solution has been implemented at Park Hochsauerland, one of Centre Parcs’ top German locations, bringing additional family-first immersive entertainment experiences to its offering.
