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Allied Leisure has put in place a big investment programme for its chain of ten-pin bowling centres following its move into first place at the end of the last year through the acquisition of the GX Superbowl ten-pin business from Granada.

The company, which announced results for the six months to December yesterday, said "significant funds" had been earmarked for development of the enlarged estate in the second half. Results from two pilot sites had shown like- for-like sales increases of more than 20 per cent.

Ken Scobie, chairman, said: "During the second-half of the year Allied will start to see both the benefits of its investment in upgrading its core estate and initial benefits from the GX acquisition."

The investment was necessary, said Allied, because competition continued to intensify in the leisure industry. Non-bowling activities contribute more than half group sales.

Allied said, because it had changed its year end from mid-June to the end of the month, the profits for 1994/5 were not comparable with the latest figures. The company said it hoped to return to the dividend list at the year end.