Lounge

A Lounge is a neighbourhood café-bar combining elements of a restaurant, British pub and coffee shop culture. As of November 2023, there are over 200 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.