The Luminar Group, the UK’s largest nightclub operator, has today announced the acquisition of Chicago Leisure for an undisclosed sum.
It has agreed to buy the company which runs eight late-night restaurant-bars nationwide under the Chicago Rock Café and Chicago brands.
Chicago Leisure was formed in June 2013, backed by private equity firm Sun Capital Partners, after the bars’ previous owner Atmosphere Bars & Clubs went into administration.
The company, headed by chief executive Christian Rose, has reported a 60% sales increase at Chicago Rock Café’s new-look trading format that opened at Yeovil, Somerset, in November last year.
The Luminar Group’s chief executive Peter Marks said: “Tactical acquisitions have always been part of our strategy and Chicago Leisure is an ideal fit with our business. It will allow us to diversify our offer into the wider late-night market, giving us a broader customer appeal.”
It is the first major deal since The Luminar Group was created three years ago in a management buy-out of sites operated by the former Luminar Group Holdings which had gone into administration. It now operates 53 nightclubs around the UK, including the Pryzm and Liquid/Envy brands.
The Chicago Rock Café brand was originally part of the old Luminar’s entertainment division that was sold to 3D Entertainment in 2006 for £79million.
As well as Yeovil, the current Chicago Rock Café and Chicago’s sites are in Basildon and Chelmsford in Essex, Hanley in Staffordshire, King’s Lynn and Norwich in Norfolk, Stevenage in Hertfordshire, and Stourbridge in the West Midlands.
Peter said: “These are great sites in strong venues which complement our existing portfolio. They’re all about providing great food, drink, music and entertainment and will be a strong addition to our existing portfolio.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming the Chicago Leisure team to Luminar and working with them to further develop the brand.”
