Popular restaurant chain set to open nine new branches (Image: Getty)
The company behind the Lounge, Cosy Club and Brightside is on a mission to expand its portfolio.
Loungers PLC opened its first site on North Street in in 2002 and has since built up a 277-strong network across the UK, with each ‘Lounge’ venue notable for its location-specific name and quirky decor.
The firm’s 250th site, Pionero Lounge, opened in Rochdale in January – and co-founders Alex Reilley, Jake Bishop and David Reid aren’t showing any sign of slowing down.
In the next four months alone, nine new restaurants will pull up their shutters across the UK, including branches in Tynemouth, Bromley and Bolton, The Sun reports.
Another has already opened this week – Durano Lounge, in Tynemouth – on November 27.
The full list of new openings is as follows:
Cantoro Lounge, Galleries Shopping Centre, Washington – December 4
Pedro Lounge, Bromley – December 11
Blanco Lounge, Bolton – January 8, 2025
Calvero Lounge, Tenterden, Kent – January 22, 2025
Toledo Lounge, Merry Hill Shopping Centre, Brierley Hill – January 29, 2025
Argento Lounge, Preston – February 5, 2025
Manzano Lounge, Rayleigh – February 12, 2025
Saludo, Workington – February 26, 2025
Caldo Lounge, Sale – March 12, 2025
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The first ‘lounge’ opened in Bristol in 2002 (Image: TripAdvisor)
Loungers PLC, which was founded on the premise of creating “neighbourhood cafe-bars”, combining the “elements of a restaurant, British pub and coffee shop”, says nearly £1 million is invested into the local high street with each new arrival, as well as around 30 new jobs.
The packed schedule of new arrivals comes as the brand, which also runs 36 Cosy Club sites and three Brightside ‘roadside dining’ spots, has agreed to a £338 million takeover by US-based Fortress Investment Group.
The company has previously invested in UK-based businesses including Majestic Wines, which is also undergoing a large-scale portfolio expansion, and Peach Pubs & Co.
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Mr Reilley said: “Loungers has come a long way since we opened our first site in Bristol in 2002, and we are hugely proud of the jobs we’ve created, the positive impact we’ve made on the UK’s high streets and the outstanding hospitality our amazing teams have provided since then.
“We are more ambitious than ever and we see Fortress as being an ideal partner to help us take Loungers into the next phase of its growth journey.”
Customers on TripAdvisor have nothing but praise for the existing sites – with a recent visitor to the Poole branch describing it as a “great experience in a quirky venue” and the Oxford restaurant praised for its “welcoming and attentive service” and generous portion sizes.
The versatile spots offer all-day dining, with the same menu served from 9am to 1-pm and spanning from full English breakfasts to burgers, comfort food classics and vegan and vegetarian options.