St Austell enters joint venture with ETM Group directors
St Austell and ETM’s directors are set to launch a series of premium sports bars across the West Country.
The first Ludo Sports Bar & Kitchen will be opening in Bath, next to the city’s railway station on Monday 15 May, after a four-week closure and refurbishment. The site was previously operated by St Austell as Graze.
The new partnership aims to combine St Austell’s knowledge and understanding of the south west with ETM Group’s Ed Martin concept and operational expertise.
Growth potential
St Austell Brewery chief executive Kevin Georgel said: “We are very excited to be working with Ed and the team at Ludo.
“The combination of its premium sports retail expertise and our award-winning beer portfolio is compelling and has significant growth potential.
“As a business, we proudly sponsor sports across the West Country – from premiership teams such as Bath Rugby to grassroots clubs at the heart of their local communities.
“Sport brings people together and we recognise the growing appeal of watching live events in inspiring venues, while enjoying great food and great company.
“We are pleased to be launching our new joint venture in Bath, a city with strong sporting pedigree and providing atmospheric experiences for fans of rugby, football, cricket, F1 and everything in-between.”
Expansion plans
ETM Group operates a number of successful sports bars in London. Founder and CEO Ed Martin outlined the reason behind the collaboration.
He added: “As operator of the leading premium sports bar business in London, we are keen to take our experience to new markets outside of London.
“With Kevin and the team at St Austell Brewery, we have found the perfect joint venture partners who have a deep understanding of the West Country and brands that resonate strongly with our target consumer.
“We are confident this combination will enable Ludo to rapidly expand across the West Country and beyond.”
