Ellie Horvath
At Best Startup London we track over 100,000 London based startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and organisations we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
We’ve ranked the top 101 Leisure companies in London. The companies, startups and institutions listed in this article are all exceptional companies, well worth a follow. We have included links to their websites, socials and CrunchBase (if you’re interested in their financials).
We selected the organisations listed in this article based on:
- Track record
- Executive leadership
- Market share
- Innovation
- ESG rating
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Top Leisure Companies & Startups (London)
Secret Escapes
| Founders | Alex Saint, Tom Valentine, Troy Collins |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Secret Escapes is a members-only travel club offering discounted rates on luxury hotels and holidays in the UK.
Butter.co.uk
| Founders | Stefan Hobl, Timothy Davis |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Butter lets you spread the cost of shopping from any online store with a simple monthly instalment plan. Download the app now!
Hiyacar
| Founders | Graeme Risby, Rob Larmour |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Hiyacar is a UK peer to peer car sharing platform.
Stasher
| Founders | Anthony Collias, Jacob Wedderburn-Day, Matthew Majewski |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Stasher is the world’s first luggage storage network.
WeSwap
| Founders | Jared Jesner, Simon Sacerdoti |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
WeSwap is a mobile application that allows users to swap different types of currency with others.
SMARTIFY
| Founders | Anna Lowe, Nick Mueller, Ronald Vrijmoet, Thanos Kokkiniotis |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
SMARTIFY provides instant access to inspiring art commentary, straight to your smartphone.
gigl
| Founders | Christian Ayerst, Dan Hudson |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
The Video / Mobile 1st Job platform that is changing the way people find work across Hospitatly, Retails & Enterntainment. Replacing generic Job descrptions and the need for a CV with super vast video content. Companies such as Hard Rock use GiGL to find staff in under 24 hours
OTHERWORLD
| Founders | Chris Adams, Ed Wardle |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
The brick-and-mortar metaverse. An island paradise in the cloud reached through a growing network of multi-sensory immersion pods.
Abellio
| Founders | Paul Martin |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Abellio delivers rail and bus services to passengers in Scotland, England, and Germany.
Beyonk
| Founders | Antony MacKenzie-Jones, Oscar White |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Beyonk is a SaaS-enabled marketplace for experiences, making it easier for visitors to find and book local things to do
VizEat
| Founders | Camille Rumani, Jean Michel Petit |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
VizEat is a European startup that operates a “social dining platform.
Finisterre
| Founders | Tom Kay |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Finisterre is a cold water surf company that designs products for cold water surfers around the world.
BeRightBack
| Founders | Alex Tomlinson, Gregory Geny |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
The world’s first fixed price travel subscription service.
Love Home Swap
| Founders | Debbie Wosskow, Simon Walker |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Love Home Swap is a home-swapping website enabling members to exchange and rent homes.
Finisterre
| Founders | Tom Kay |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Finisterre is a cold water surf company that designs products for cold water surfers around the world.
Everyman Media Group
| Founders | Daniel Broch |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Everyman is an independent cinema group in terms of cinema venues, screens and admissions.
Peanut
| Founders | Michelle Kennedy |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Peanut is an online platform that provides a safe space for women to connect across fertility and motherhood.
The Thinking Traveller
| Founders | Huw Beaugié, Rossella Beaugié |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
The Thinking Traveller is a multiple award-winning villa rental company specialising in luxury villas.
tripAbrood
| Founders | Alexa-Maria Rathbone Barker |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
tripAbrood is an AI-driven travel platform for families to discover and book holidays.
Veeve
| Founders | Claire Whisker, Jonny Morris |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Characterful homes. Dedicated service. Memorable stays.
Key Travel
| Founders | Ajaya Sodha |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Key Travel is a travel management company that offers its services to NGO, academic, and faith sectors.
the Bike Club
| Founders | Alexandra Rico-Lloyd, James Symes |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
the Bike Club is a platform that offers pay monthly kids bikes that are exchanged as children grow up.
thesqua.re
| Founders | Sid Narang |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Inventive corporate serviced apartments provider with loyalty programme, all-in-one online accounts, community events and concierge app.
Edge Retreats
| Founders | Luke McCormick |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
The global curated marketplace for luxury villa rentals, with exceptional service and expert concierge
Rhubarb
| Founders | Lucy Gemmell |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Rhubarb is a food company that creates and delivers culinary services.
HotelFlex
| Founders | Max Shepherd-Cross, Pete Turnbull, Rich Turnbull |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
An award winning, VC backed hospitality tech startup, transforming the way hotels manage and sell their inventory
Big Bus Tours
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Big Bus Tours is a global operator of premium open-top sightseeing tours.
Timescenery
| Founders | Alexander Urbanovich, Kirill Khomko, Konstantin Sergienko, Nikita Dedik, Valeriy Britaus, Valery Britaus |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
All-in-One Trip Planner and Marketplace – the next stage in travel tech after metasearch | Plug and Play 2017
Hill & Friends
| Founders | Emma Hill CBE |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Hill and Friends is a brand that produces exceptionally crafted and luxuriously functional bags, each affirmed with a subversive wink.
Crepeaffaire
| Founders | Daniel Spinath |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Crêpeaffaire offers freshly prepared crêpes, waffles, coffees and smoothies.
Oomph Wellness
| Founders | Ben Allen |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Oomph Wellness offers inclusive exercise and activity classes that improve physical mobility, social interaction, and mental stimulation.
SkiYodl
| Founders | Oli Dannatt, Simon Latarche |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
SkiYodl is a platform that allows its users to search and book their ski trips in real-time.
Chic Retreats
| Founders | Lulu Townsend |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
A luxury travel marketplace using the latest in digital technology to connect our collection of independent hotels to affluent travellers
Easol
| Founders | Ben Simpson, Chris Lowder, Lisa Simpson |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
The all-in-one platform to manage your experience business, on your terms.
Family Traveller
| Founders | Andrew Dent |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Family Traveller is a multi-platform brand operating across familytraveller.com, social media and email.
E-Car Club
| Founders | Andrew Wordsworth, Christopher Morris |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
E-Car Club is a UK-based electric car club offering vehicles on a pay-per-use basis.
GTA
| Founders | David Babai, Eddie Faith, Uzi Kattan |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
GTA provides ground travel products and services to the fully independent travel industry.
Live2Leave
| Founders | Céleste Owen-Jones, Léa Bourratière |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Live2Leave is a travel app where you can record your favorite spots & get recommendations from people you know.
FLY LDN
| Founders | Charlotte Cox |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
London’s multi award winning immersive fitness and low impact training studio and digital fitness platform.
Pop & Rest
| Founders | Mauricio Villamizar, Yoann Demont |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Our platform connects local workers and travellers with sleep & meditation pods. Book by the hour to recharge
Imin
| Founders | Dominic Fennell, Nick Evans, Nishal Desai |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Imin is a technology firm that makes physical activity searchable & bookable by using open data in the health and fitness sector.
Sure
| Founders | Alexandra Neczliova, Juraj Pal, Sebastian Krumhausen, Suzanne van Nes |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Sure curates the most “Instagrammed” food and drink spots.
Dynamo
| Founders | Marco Scotti |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Dynamo allows sharing Luxury Experiences (eg. Villas, Yachts, VIP Tables); thanks to its experience providers network in 20 cities worldwide
Cloud 9 Leisure
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Cloud 9 Leisure is an exciting active indoor leisure experience.
Board a Boat
| Founders | Frank Sykes |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Board a Boat is a boat trip marketplace that enables boat owners, managers and skippers to offer private and semi-private boat trips.
Last Second Tickets
| Founders | Craig Massey, Max Kelly |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Last Second Tickets works directly with promoters, producers and venues to secure amazing discounts and prizes.
The Ticket Group
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
TTG focusses of mobile-first ticketing solutions for leisure attractions, tours and activities
WeTrack
| Founders | Clive Stephens, Peter Ward |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
WeTrack provides event delivery software for major events, federations, venues and governing bodies
Viva City
| Founders | Samuel Rason |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Viva City offers guest experience, discovery, and analytics software to help businesses thrive with the Chinese Inbound market.
Azooki
| Founders | Eilon Arad, Matti Fruhman, Oron Barber |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Azooki helps you book & discover amazing things to do in South East Asia’s most enchanting destinations
Innovate Finance
| Founders | Justin Fitzpatrick |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Innovate Finance is an independent membership association that represents the UK’s global FinTech community.
Reed & Mackay
| Founders | Bob Boardman, David Boardman, Tracy Baumfield |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Reed & Mackay is a corporate travel management company providing travel services to companies within the finance and insurance sectors.
Ten Lifestyle Group Plc
| Founders | Alex Cheatle, Andrew Long |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Ten Lifestyle Group Plc is a technology enabled lifestyle and travel platform company.
Ongosa
| Founders | Richard Smith |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Ongosa gives you a more advanced access to new adventure sports experiences.
Rebel Book Club
| Founders | Ben Keene, Ben Saul-Garner |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Rebel Book Club is an international non-fiction book club.
Doris & Dicky
| Founders | Richard Dana |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
The best in budget boutique hotels
Tristar Worldwide Chauffer Services
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Tristar Worldwide Chauffer Services is a worldwide chauffeur company operating in over 80 countries.
The Office Group
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
A UK-based provider of flexible office space.
Sportingbet
| Founders | Mark Blandford |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Sportingbet is an online sports betting and gaming company that provides its services on a variety of sports.
ForestCar
| Founders | Charlie Palmer, Felix Muecke |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
ForestCar is a car sharing service for airports.
Lotus
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Lotus is a specialist travel PR and representation outfit.
Ebookers Plc
| Founders | Dinesh Dhamija |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Ebookers.com is a leading pan-European online travel agency specialising in worldwide travel.
Bloomsbury Publishing
| Founders | Nigel Newton |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Bloomsbury Publishing is a leading independent publishing house established in 1986.
TravelStaytion
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
TravelStaytion is an online holiday rental marketplace, enables its users to list their spare property or get accommodation at lower prices.
Day 8
| Founders | Erik Biorklund, William Wenkel |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
We are a unique experience provider within travel, culture and leisure.
Leisure Pass
| Founders | Andrew Grahame |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
A London-based city attraction sightseeing company.
SpareFare
| Founders | Galena Stavreva, Georgi Stavrev |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
SpareFare.net is a secure secondary travel marketplace
Trafalgar Tours
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Trafalgar is the world leader in guided vacations to Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, Australia & New Zealand.
Clays
| Founders | Tom Snellock |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Clays is a bar that brings the sport of clay shooting indoors and adds a twist of charm and hospitality for everyone to enjoy.
dealchecker.co.uk
| Founders | Andrew Bredon |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Compare cheap Holidays, Car Hire, Flights and Hotels at the best travel comparison website, dealchecker. Find the cheapest 2014.
Booking Spaces
| Founders | Jamie Reece |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Booking Spaces Disruptive venue booking platform, connecting those looking for spaces with the spaces available for hire.
TAG
| Founders | John Gianquitto |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
TAG is the travel management company.
Young Foodies
| Founders | Christopher Green, Theadora Alexander |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Young Foodies provides a community and specialist services for the most exciting food and drink challenger brands
Go City
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Go City offers online pre-purchase travel passes for various attractions, adventures, tours, and activities.
Belmond
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
A hotel and leisure company that operates luxury hotels, train services and river cruises.
MYRENTBOAT
| Founders | Alex Lebedev, Daria Lebedeva |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Find the best yacht rental deals Choose from 25 000 yachts online
DeMellier London
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Luxury day and evening bags featuring our signature interior designed with today’s woman in mind.
The Dorchester Collection
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
The Dorchester Collection provides one of the world’s largest selections of luxury hotels.
Travel Unravel
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Travel Unravel provides online travel products and services.
Byron Hamburgers
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Byron Hamburgers is a British burger restaurant chain.
Statesman Travel Group
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Statesman Travel Group is a business travel management company providing travel management services for corporate and private clients.
Places for People
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Places for People is a property management, development, regeneration and leisure company.
Qbic
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Qbic brings affordable hotel experience to London.
Local Data Company
| Founders | Barnaby Oswald, Toby Robertson |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Local Data Company is the UK’s most accurate retail and leisure location data business.
Lycafly
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
LycaFly is a travel agency that offers flights and holiday deals to worldwide destinations.
Buying Business Travel
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Buying Business Travel is the UK’s leading publication for travel and meetings buyers and arrangers.
Bourne Capital
| Founders | Robert A. Bourne |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Bourne Capital is a leading international active property management and leisure operations group.
Encore Tickets
| Founders | John Wales |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Encore tickets provides theater tickets and group bookings for all London theaters.
Vamoos
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Vamoos helps Travel Companies, Hotels, and Villas transform their client’s experience, from the moment they book to after they return home.
GALLIVANT
| Founders | Nick Steward |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
GALLIVANT is an indie fragrance brand.
Flyto
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Helping everyone pay for travel, on their terms
OMEGA Watersports Worldwide
| Founders | Louis Tag |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
OMEGA Watersports is a world-renowned watersports company.
JacTravel Group
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
JacTravel is one of the world’s premier suppliers of online hotel bookings and inbound travel services to the tourism sector.
Coffee Republic
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Coffee Republic is a coffee chain in UK that is known and offers great tasting coffee and delicious freshly made food.
Wyndham Exchange and Rentals (UK) Holdings
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Wyndham Exchange and Rentals (UK) Holdings provides owns and operates leisure facilities such as beach holidays, country cottages.
Blueheath Holdings
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Blueheath is a wholesaler of groceries, selling spirits, groceries, and household items through its multiple retail and leisure outlets.
Voodoovixen.com
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Voodoovixen.com is an online vintage clothing marketplace.
Anchor Trust
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
Anchor is England’s largest not-for-profit provider of housing and care for the over-55s.
National Rail Enquiries
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
National Rail Enquiries is the official source for train times and timetables in the U.K.
Future London Academy
| Founders | Ekaterina Solomeina, Mohammed Saiful Hussain |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
executive school for creatives
Go Native Ltd
| Founders | Unknown |
| Follow | Website, Crunchbase, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin |
An excellent alternative to hotels, Go Native serviced apartments provide flexibility and convenience for business & leisure travellers.
