Gardner, who also currently holds the role of CFO at the London-based bar brand, was appointed to the position last month.
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Prior to joining Simmons Bars in January 2025, she was group strategy director at Soho House & Co, where she also previously held several other roles within the company.
Nick Campbell, founder of Simmons, previously served as the brand’s CEO since January 2013.
Business history
Simmons Bars was sold to its founder-director and a private equity backer for just over £6m in a pre-pack administration deal back in 2025.
The chain’s parent company Nightlight Leisure, its subsidiaries and assets were acquired in July of that year by a newly incorporated company with a common director and shareholders Nick Campbell and Lonsdale Capital Partners, according to an administrators report at the time.
Filings to Companies House at the time suggested the newly incorporated purchaser was East Street (Top Co) Ltd.
Seven leases were not part of the transaction, leaving the group with 16 bars.
Four sites had shut as part of the restructure, with the other three having already closed down before the group entered into administration.
