A proposed merger between two major UK tenpin bowling centres may have been saved by a decision by one of them to sell six centres.

The Original Bowling Company

The £30m takeover of Bowlplex by The Original Bowling Company was threatened with an investigation by Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority, which guards against unnecessary monopolies, and concerns over six UK sites - in Bracknell, Bristol, Cardiff, Dudley, Glasgow and Leeds - being cited as the main sticking points.

In those locations the two companies were stated to "compete closely" and the merger, therefore, would perhaps "result in a substantial lessening of competition”. The Original Bowling Company has now offered to sell six centres and the CMA has stated that it may accept the measures rather than launch a detailed investigation.

The Original Bowling Company has 44 centres and is itself owned by private equity company Electra Partners. Most of them are under the Hollywood Bowl brand name. Bowlplex has 17 locations.