Ian Corfield and David Acland of FRP were appointed joint administrators of the group on 24 March 2026.
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Financial challenges
Lunar Pub Company operated three leasehold gastropubs in South Kensington, Belgravia and Clapham, employing a total of 72 staff.
The business had faced ongoing financial challenges linked to rising operating costs and shifts in consumer spending, which placed continued pressure on cashflow.
Attempts to secure a sale of the full estate prior to administration were unsuccessful.
Following their appointment, the joint administrators completed a pre-pack sale of two sites, The Hunter’s Moon in South Kensington and The Elizabeth in Belgravia, to Auroragate Operations UK.
46 jobs saved
The deal secured the ongoing operation of both venues and safeguarded 46 jobs.
However, the group’s third site, The Apollo Arms in Clapham, had ceased trading prior to the administration. No viable offers were received for the site, resulting in 26 redundancies.
The administrators said they are now supporting affected employees with claims through the Redundancy Payments Service.
Ian Corfield, partner at FRP and joint administrator, said: “Lunar Pub Company operated a well-regarded group of gastropubs; however, it was not immune to the sustained pressures facing the hospitality sector in recent years.
“We are pleased to have secured a sale of two sites, preserving those venues and a number of jobs. Unfortunately, no viable offers were received for The Apollo Arms, and the site was therefore unable to continue trading.”
He added that the focus now will be on maximising returns for creditors and supporting impacted employees.
