The chief operating officer of Ten Entertainment Group, the company behind bowling alley operator tenpin, has been named as interim chief executive.

Graham Blackwell has served on the Ten Entertainment board since its IPO in 2017.

Previous chief executive Duncan Garrood has stepped down from the board and left the business, earlier than previously announced.

Nick Basing, interim executive chairman, said: “The board were unanimous that Graham is the stand out candidate to lead the group.  He has been instrumental in the business transformation over recent years.  His track record has been outstanding and I look forward to continuing to work closely with him.”

Ten Entertainment has reopened 42 of its 45 sites amid the Covid-19 pandemic, with three remaining in local lockdown.