In the market town of Alton, the residents said hello to Antico Lounge this morning. And while this was our 21st Lounge opening this year, it also has the honour of being the 300th open site in the Loungers family. As of this day, there are 260 Lounge Café Bars, 36 Cosy Clubs and 4 Brightside Diners open across the UK.
The first Lounge opened in 2003, where a trio of friends, Alex Reilley, Jake Bishop and Dave Reid took over an empty optician’s in Bedminster, Bristol. The home-from-home concept proved popular, and now Lounges stretch across the country from Saint Ives to Newcastle.
Cosy Club joined the party in 2012, with the first opening in a former Victorian arts college in Taunton. While slightly more occasions and reservations-led, they still share many similarities with the Lounge brand, offering a wide appeal to a similar demographic, aiming to celebrate the special occasions while still making everyone feel welcome.
Brightside Roadside Dining, the little kid of the Loungers brand, came about in 2022. Inspired by childhood road trips, our diners seek to bring back the days when a family meal at a roadside restaurant was the highlight of the trip. With retro-inspired interiors and a warm, nostalgic feel, you’ll always feel welcome at Brightside.
300 sites are no small feat, but the work doesn’t stop there. We are constantly developing, with the intent to open around 30 new Lounge’s each year. Cosy Club has recently undergone a significant rebrand, which we hope to roll out to more sites over the next few years.