Loungers opens four sites, roll-out plans on track
Loungers, which operates all-day café-bar-restaurants under the Lounge, Cosy Club and Brightside brands, recently stated it was set to open 34 sites in its current financial year and the latest additions bring the total number of sites in the Loungers portfolio to 242.
Three of the new sites are in the Lounge estate. They are Alfredo Lounge (part of the former Eve & Ranshaw department store) in Louth, Lincolnshire; Bordo Lounge (formerly a Top Shop) in Carlisle, Cumbria; and Muro Lounge (formerly an Argos) in Hexham, Northumberland.
Loungers said all three locations evidence Loungers’ track record of and ability to breathe new life into the UK’s high streets, bringing footfall and jobs and, in particular, rejuvenating former retail sites.
Cosy site in oxford
Meanwhile, the fourth addition is a Cosy Club in Oxford, marking the first in-road into the city and is the group’s 36th Cosy Club.
It is located in the Cheng Yu Tung building, formerly Northgate House, which was opened by Jesus College – one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford – last year.
The interior includes 100 statement light fittings, 206 rolls of wallpaper and plumes of ostrich feathers as part of the furnishings, and boasts two private dining rooms: The Treasury and The Mulberry Suite.
Loungers said: “The new sites will be a home-from-home for their customers, offering great, freshly cooked food and drink all day, with a real focus on making a positive impact on the local community.
“Each new Lounge creates 30 new jobs on average, with each opening typically representing an investment of up to £1m into the local high street.”
Northern presence increased
Loungers CEO Nick Collins said: “Our accelerated site roll-out plan remains firmly on track and we’re delighted with the four new sites that we’ve opened in the past few weeks.
“It’s particularly pleasing to be increasing our presence in the north through the openings in Carlisle and Hexham, and we see significant potential for more sites in both the north-west and the north-east.
“It’s also great to be finally opening a Cosy Club in Oxford. It’s a city that’s been on our list for quite some time and we’ve been really pleased with trade in its first few weeks. Our ambitions for Oxford don’t end there and, in time, we see scope for bringing at least four new Lounge sites to the suburbs of the city.”
Loungers recently stated its firm belief that there is scope for at least 600 Lounges across the UK, and also announced that it intends to open 34 new sites across its three brands in the current financial year alone.
