High Growth
All-Day Hospitality

Loungers is a substantial and growing operator in the UK hospitality sector. As of May 2024, Loungers operates 262 sites in England and Wales across three distinct but complementary brands, Lounge, Cosy Club and Brightside. Founded in 2002 by three friends who wanted to create a neighbourhood café-bar that they would want to go to, the Group is now the only growing all-day operator of scale in the UK and has consistently outperformed the wider UK hospitality sector over the past three years.

The Directors intend to continue to pursue an organic growth strategy, driven by the rollout of new Lounge, Cosy Club and Brightside sites and an ongoing focus on operational improvements to drive further sales and margin improvements across the existing estate. This strategy is consistent with the strategy successfully executed by the Group over the past three years. The Directors are targeting in excess of 30 new site openings per annum over the medium term.

Watch:
A Day In The Life Of Lounge

Sites Opened
This Year

Lounge Breakfast

Best Selling Dish

8.5/10

"I can be myself at work"
Team Score

Latte

Best Selling Drink

241 Sites

We recently passed the 200th site mark and have plans to open at least 400 more.

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A Lounge is a neighbourhood café-bar combining elements of a restaurant, British pub and coffee shop culture. As of May 2024, there are over 220 Lounges nationwide. Lounges are principally located in secondary suburban high streets and small town centres. The sites are characterised by informal, unique interiors with an emphasis on a warm, comfortable atmosphere, often described as a ‘home-from-home’. The Lounge estate has a consistent look and feel but each Lounge is individually named and tailored to the site and local area, and the design of each Lounge is continually evolving, meaning no two sites are the same.

The Lounge brand aims to have hospitality and familiarity at its core, driven by an independent culture and focus on the local community. Each site has its own social media presence and staff are encouraged to engage with the local community through events, charity and community groups. 80 percent of customers live locally, underlining each Lounge’s local neighbourhood credentials.

Lounges appeal to a diverse customer base, offering something for everyone regardless of age, demographic or gender.

A Lounge represents something different to different people. For some it is somewhere to go for a coffee after the school run; for others it is a place to catch up with friends; a place for an informal meal, a celebration or a night out. 90 per cent. of Lounge customers visit for multiple occasions, 25 percent of Lounge customers visit at least weekly and two-thirds visit every month, which demonstrates the versatility of the Lounge offering and the loyalty of the customer base.

Every Lounge offers all-day dining, with the same menu served from 9am and 10pm every day. Sales are well diversified across all day parts and days of the week as well as across all food and drink types. In addition to helping to drive repeat custom and maximise the trading efficiency of the sites, the all-day offering involves managing operational complexity, particularly in the kitchens, which the Directors believe is a meaningful barrier to entry for other operators.

Visit the Lounge Website

Large Sites Opened
Per Year On Average

Chicken Burger

Best Selling Dish

8.5/10

"I can be myself at work"
Team Score

Moretti

Best Selling Drink

36 Sites

Cosy Club allows us to establish a foothold in larger towns and city centres.

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Cosy Clubs are more formal bars/restaurants offering reservations and table service but share many similarities with the Lounges in terms of their broad, all-day offering and their focus on hospitality and culture. Cosy Clubs are typically located in city centres and large market towns.

Interiors tend to be larger and more theatrical than for a Lounge, and heritage buildings or first-floor spaces are often employed to create a sense of occasion. The Cosy Club brand enables the Group to operate in areas where there is a more occasion-led demographic and offers an opportunity for greater coverage within cities (Birmingham, for example, has nine Lounges and one Cosy Club within a ten-mile radius). Sales, EBITDA and capital expenditure are typically higher for a Cosy Club than for a Lounge. As of November 2023, there are currently 35 Cosy Clubs in England and Wales.

Cosy Clubs benefit from a similarly demographically diverse customer base as Lounges, appealing to all age groups and genders. Whilst during the day, customers use Cosy Clubs much like they use Lounges (for instance, for coffee or a quick lunch), in the evenings, they are used more formally for drinks and dinner and frequently host larger tables celebrating a special occasion.

Visit the Cosy Club Website

Sites Opened
This Year

All-Day Breakfast

Best Selling Dish

8.7/10

"I can be myself at work"
Team Score

Tea

Best Selling Drink

3 Sites

Targeting an underserved region along popular, year-round tourism routes.

Loungers launched its third brand – a roadside dining concept called Brightside – in November 2022, inspired by childhood road trips of days gone by, where the highlight of the journey was a stop with the family at a roadside restaurant – taking the time to enjoy some proper hospitality.

The first Brightside location opened in February 2023 on the A38, south of Exeter, the second in June 2023 in Saltash near Plymouth and the third in August 2023 in Honiton on the A303. Three further Brightside locations are planned for the middle of 2024.

The Brightside menu offers a wide range of freshly cooked comfort classics.

Customers can choose from brunch, all day breakfasts, brilliant burgers and sourdough pizzas cooked on site, alongside great coffee courtesy of the Clifton Coffee Company. A dedicated kids’ menu as well as milkshakes and ice cream sundaes mean younger family members don’t miss out. Like Lounge and Cosy Club, Brightside also offers an extensive menu catering to coeliacs and vegans.

But it’s not just about the food – the Brightside interiors team have created a warmly nostalgic environment to complement the dining experience.

Inspired by roadside brands like Little Chef and Happy Eater, 70s caravan fit-outs and vintage advertising, each restaurant uses the materials, colours and textures of the past and reinvents them. With softly furnished American diner style booths, parquet flooring, distinctive lighting and crazy paving walls, the Brightside brand reaches beyond the roadside as a unique destination venue.

With a dog-friendly policy and a focus on building long lasting relationships with local communities – walkers, cyclists, neighbourhood groups and social clubs – we want to provide genuine benefits to those customers who live nearby.

The Brightside brand will appeal to both passing trade looking to recharge and the broader public searching for a warm welcome and a dining experience with a twist.

Visit The Brightside Website

Regulatory News

Form 8.5 (EPT/RI) LOUNGERS PLC

December 20, 2024

Read

Form 8.5 (EPT/RI) LOUNGERS PLC

December 19, 2024

Read

Form 8.5 (EPT/RI) LOUNGERS PLC

December 18, 2024

Read

Form 8.5 (EPT/RI) LOUNGERS PLC

Scheme Document and Grant of Share Options

Read

Form 8.3 – Loungers plc

December 16, 2024

Read

Form 8.5 (EPT/RI) LOUNGERS PLC

Read

Form 8.5 (EPT/RI) LOUNGERS PLC

Read all Regulatory News

Our Story

2002
2007
2010
2012
2014
2015
2016
2017
2019
2020
2020
2021
2022
2022
2023

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August 2002

(A Tuesday)

Trio Of Friends

Alex Reilley, Jake Bishop and Dave Reid open the first Lounge in an empty opticians on Bristol’s North Street, Bedminster.

July 2007

Velo Lounge Opens

The Group’s first Lounge outside of Bristol, opens in Oldfield Park, Bath. Velo Lounge in a former bicycle shop.

September 2010

Nick Joins Loungers

Nick Collins joins the Group as Finance Director.

April 2012

Piper Private Equity

Piper Private Equity acquires a minority stake in Loungers. Dave Reid leaves the Group for sunnier climes in the South of France.

August 2012

Cosy Club Opens

The first Cosy Club opens in Taunton, housed in a former Victorian arts college.

January 2014

A New COO

Nick Collins is promoted to Chief Operations Officer.

January 2015

All Change

Nick Collins is promoted to Chief Executive Officer. Alex Reilley becomes Executive Vice-Chairman.

December 2016

Lion Capital acquires a majority stake in the Group and Piper Private Equity exits their investment in Loungers. Alex Reilley becomes Executive Chairman.

March 2017

100 Sites

The Group opens its 100th site – Capo Lounge in Mansfield.

August 2017

£100m

The Group achieves annual sales in excess of £100 million.

April 2019

IPO

The Company’s ordinary shares are admitted to trading on the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange. The Group opens its 150th site, Fosso Lounge in Wells.

August 2019

Revenue Rockets

The Group reports an increase in revenue to £153 million in the financial year ending 21st April 2019.

March 2020

Covid-19 Hits

All Lounge and Cosy Club sites temporarily close in response to increasing national cases of COVID-19.

May 2020

Adapting To ‘The New Normal’

A selection of Lounges offer takeaway for the first time and shortly after, launch an order & pay app, to huge success.

August 2020

We’re Still Busy

The Group opens its first site following the first national lockdown, Cosy Club Brindleyplace in Birmingham.

May 2021

Return To Form

All Lounge and Cosy Club sites fully reopen permanently as COVID-19 regulations relax.

July 2022

200 Sites

The Group opens its 200th site, Cosy Club Chester in The Arcade on Northgate Street.

July 2022

MOE-Rosado-Lounge-10-10-18-2K-37-1-1024x683

A Record Year

The Group reports an increase of revenue to £237 million in the financial year ending 17th April 2022.

August 2022

Lounge Turns 20

The Group celebrates the 20th anniversary of the opening of its first site, Lounge, in Bristol. Over the years, the OG Lounge has expanded from a single shopfront, to spanning across three units – each with a unique fascia.

November 2022

Proper Roadside Dining

The Group announces the launch of a third brand, Brightside – aimed at reinvigorating roadside dining in the UK.

February 2023

Brightside Opens

The Group opens the first Brightside on the A38 in Haldon Hill, Exeter.

September 2023

200 Lounges

The Group opens the 200th Lounge, Verdetto Lounge in Buckingham.

Accolades


Winner: The Publican Awards 2024: Business Leader of the Year (Alex Reilley)
Winner: MCA Hospitality Awards 2024: Best Pub/Bar Company (Loungers PLC)
Winner: MIDAS Awards 2024: Best Street Food Inspiration (Lounge Café Bars)
Winner: Casual Dining Awards 2024: New Concept of the Year (Brightside Roadside)
Winner: Casual Dining Awards 2024: Pub / Bar Brand of the year (50+ Sites) (Lounge Café Bars)
Nomination: Casual Dining Awards 2024: Employer of the Year (50+ Sites) (Loungers PLC)
Nomination: Casual Dining Awards 2024: Casual Dining Group of the Year (Loungers PLC)
Nomination: MCA Hospitality Awards 2024: Emerging Concept (Brightside Roadside)
Nomination: MCA Hospitality Awards 2024: Best New Opening (Brightside Roadside)
Nomination: MCA Hospitality Awards 2024: Best Concept (Lounge Café Bars)
Finalist: National Burger Awards 2024 (Brightside Roadside)
R200's 2023: Best Scalable Concept (Brightside Roadside)
Casual Dining Award 2023: Pub/Bar Brand of the Year (50+ sites) (Lounge Café Bars)
Casual Dining Award 2023: Menu Innovation (26+ sites) (Cosy Club)
R200's 2022: Restaurant Group of the Year (Loungers PLC)
Peach 20/20 Hero and Icon Award 2022: Best Major Business
Peach Hero and Icon Award 2020: Industry Icon 2020 (Alex Reilley)
Peach Hero and Icon Award: Best Major Business 2020
Casual Dining Awards: Large Employer of the Year 2018
PETA Vegan Food Awards: Best Vegan Menu 2017
Retailers’ Retailer of the Year Awards: Deal of the Year 2017
Caterer.com: Best Employers in Hospitality 2015
Sunday Times Fast Track 100: 2015
Catey Awards: Pub and Bar Award 2014
Retailers’ Retailer of the Year Awards: Winner 2014
R200 Restaurant Operator of the Year: Winner 2013
Peach Factory Hero & Icon Award: Breakthrough Brand 2012
Insider South West Dealmakers: Deal of the Year 2012
Retailers’ Retailer of the Year Awards: Rising Star 2012 (Alex Reilley)

Senior Management

Board of Directors

Alex Reilley

Founder Chairman

Alex co-founded the Group in 2002, acting as Managing Director until 2015 when he assumed the role of Executive Vice Chairman. In 2016, following the investment from Lion Capital, Alex assumed the role of Executive Chairman and remains heavily involved in the branding and look and feel of the Loungers estate.

Prior to founding Loungers, Alex had a number of roles within the leisure sector including as Operations Manager at Glass Boat Co., where he spent seven years.

Nick Collins

Chief Executive Officer

Nick joined the Group in January 2012 as Finance Director, becoming Chief Operating Officer in January 2014 and Chief Executive Officer in January 2015. He has overseen the expansion of the Group from 56 sites as at January 2015 to 146 sites as at the date of this document. Prior to joining the Group, Nick spent three years as Finance Director at AIM quoted Capital Pub Company plc, leaving when that company was sold to Greene King plc in 2011. Prior to that Nick founded Fuzzy’s Grub, a sandwich business in London, which he grew to eight outlets and a central production facility over five years. Nick also spent five years in corporate finance at Arthur Andersen where he qualified as a chartered accountant in 2001.

Eve Bugler

Chief Operating Office

Eve joined the Group in December 2020, as Chief Operating Officer, taking responsibility for the evolution of the People, Commercial, Build and Maintenance functions. Prior to joining the Group, Eve founded and operated the fresh kebab concept BabaBoom. From 2011 to 2015, Eve worked for Nando’s, initially as a Strategy Associate in London before moving to Johannesburg to lead the build of the brand’s Global HQ, and then to Delhi, where she was Commercial Director of the Indian equity market. Eve previously worked in Haiti for the Inter-American Development Bank and at McKinsey & Co as a Business Analyst. Eve has a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford University.

Stephen Marshall

Chief Financial Officer

Stephen joined the Group in April 2024 as Chief Financial Officer. Prior to join the Group, Stephen held senior finance positions in a variety of industries, including CFO of e-Scooter company, Pure Electric, and CFO of Nisbets, the catering equipment supplier. Stephen also spent five years in senior finance positions at Dyson including as interim CFO.

Justin Carter

Group Managing Director

Justin joined the Group in January 2015 as Chief Operating Officer and was appointed Managing Director of the Lounge brand in summer 2017. In April 2024, Justin was appointed as Group Managing Director taking responsibility for all three brands - Lounge, Cosy Club and Brightside. Prior to joining the Group, Justin was Operations Director at Fuller Smith & Turner P.L.C. where he was responsible for the Premium City division of London managed pubs. In 1995 Justin founded The Elbow Room Ltd, a UK-based chain of pool bars, which he ran until its sale to Inc Group in 2008.

Kate Eastwood

Managing Director of Lounge

Kate joined the Lounge team as Managing Director in April 2024. Kate is responsible for the management of the whole Lounge team, its financial performance, the evolution of the Lounge offering and its continued expansion. Prior to joining the Group, Kate was Operations Director at Fuller Smith & Turner P.L.C. where she was responsible for over 100 pubs in London and the South. Prior to Fullers, Kate held Director level roles in Food, Sales and Marketing at Revolution Bars Group plc and a number of other operators.

Lucy Knowles

Managing Director of Cosy Club

Lucy joined the Group in September 2023, having previously been appointed as the Managing Director of London-based bar chain, Corney & Barrow, and later SSP as Group Marketing Director. Lucy is responsible for the whole Cosy Club team, its financial performance, the evolution of the Cosy Club offering and its continued expansion.

Jake Bishop

Founder Director

Jake co-founded the Group in 2002 and has held various senior operational roles since that time. After a year establishing the role of Managing Director of the Cosy Club brand Jake became Commercial Director in summer 2017 and is responsible for the Group’s food and kitchen operations.

Guy Youll

Chief People Officer

Guy joined the Group in October 2022, as Chief People Officer, taking responsibility for the evolution of the People strategy across Lounge, Cosy Club and Brightside.

Prior to joining the Group, Guy was previously Chief Human Resources Officer at Inspired Education, a leading group of international schools across 25 countries with more than 10,000 employees. Prior to that, Guy was Global HR Director at Superdry and Head of HR Operations at Whitbread.

Alex Reilley

Founder Chairman

Nick Collins

Chief Executive Officer

Eve Bugler

Chief Operating Office

Stephen Marshall

Chief Financial Officer

Justin Carter

Group Managing Director

Kate Eastwood

Managing Director of Lounge

Lucy Knowles

Managing Director of Cosy Club

Jake Bishop

Founder Director

Guy Youll

Chief People Officer