Loungers, the Bristol-headquartered all-day café/bar chain, has appointed a new managing director of its Cosy Club brand.
Lucy Knowles, pictured, joins the fast-growing group next month as it continues to expand its 35-strong Cosy Club portfolio.
The brand was launched in 2010 following the runaway success of its core Lounges chain, which was extended nationwide from its heartland of Bristol, where the all-day neighbourhood café model established in its early days in suburbs such as Fishponds, Westbury-on-Trym and Bedminster.
Cosy Clubs tend to be in large buildings in city and town centres while Lounges’ core market is suburban high streets.
Lucy Knowles joins Loungers from London-based travel hub food and beverage operator SSP, where worked for more than 10 years and led menu innovation across 150-plus brands, including Upper Crust, Caffè Ritazza and Millie’s Cookies, and innovated several new global brand concepts.
Prior to that she was managing director of London-based bar chain Corney & Barrow, where she was instrumental in growing its estate and driving a significant increase in food revenue.
One of her key achievements was the re-branding of the business, resulting in the development of the C&B Bar, the Terrace restaurant concept and the Cabin.
Loungers CEO Nick Collins said “Lucy’s impressive operational and leadership expertise alongside her wealth of experience in branding, food and concept evolution will bring a huge amount of value to our team.
“Cosy Club is well placed as we continue to open new sites and out-perform the market, and I am excited for the future of the brand under Lucy’s leadership.”
Loungers has ambitions to open at least 30 sites a year across its brand portfolio. It is to open its latest Cosy Club in Oxford in early October as part of the Northgate House development in the heart of the city.
The bar’s interiors will be inspired by the famed Biba department store of the swinging Sixties.
Loungers currently operates 235 sites across the UK, including 197 Lounges, 35 Cosy Clubs and three of its recently launched Brightside roadside restaurants.
