Since the company started with a café/bar named the Lounge on North Street in Bedminster, 23 years later, Loungers has now reached a significant milestone with the opening of its 250th site, Rivolo Lounge, in Norwich.
Rivolo Lounge aims to offer genuine hospitality, excellent food and drink and unique interiors.
With a key focus of each new site to generate a positive impact on the local neighbourhood.
Each Lounge site represents an average investment of nearly £1m into the local high street and generates around 30 new jobs .
Reflections on growth
Loungers chairman and co-founder, Alex Reilley expressed his amazement at the company’s journey.
He said: “It’s a point of reflection when you hit these milestones, they make you stop and go wow that’s a bit crazy!”
Reflecting on the early days when the company started, he added: “We knew after our very first week that it was something special, but we couldn’t have predicted 23 years later we would be opening our 250th Lounge”.
Reilley also highlighted the significance of job creation. He said: “Employing almost 10,000 people is just unbelievable...that’s been a massive part of what we’ve really enjoyed about the business and its growth” .
Nationwide presence
Lounges now spans across the country, from St Ives in Cornwall to Morpeth in Northumberland.
The company has also created 10,000 jobs and career opportunities for local people. Loungers co-founder, Jake Bishop acknowledged the collective achievement.
He said: “This milestone is something we can all be proud of so a massive ‘well done’ to the teams, the suppliers who keep our shelves and fridges stocked 364 days a year, and to all the teams behind the scenes- everyone who makes the Loungers bus roll.”
Speaking on the future, Bishop continued: “It’s great and a ‘Bob On’ job- onwards and upwards!”
