The CEO of Loungers, the fast-growing Bristol-based café-bar chain, has said its trading over the past year was a “truly stand-out performance”.
During the 52 weeks to 16 April the group opened 29 new sites, taking its portfolio to a total of 222.
The openings included 24 Lounges and four Cosy Clubs along with its first roadside site under the new Brightside brand, pictured.
It is now planning to open around 35 more venues in the current financial year, including two more Brightsides this summer.
The group, which has built its national reach on the success of the model it established in its early days in Bristol suburbs such as Fishponds, Westbury-on-Trym and on Gloucester Road, described its performance during the period had been “industry leading”.
In a trading update to shareholders, the group said like-for-like annual sales rose by 7.4% and were 17.6% ahead of pre-pandemic levels on a three-year basis. 
Total revenue hit another new record of £283.5m – up 19.5% on the previous year.
The group said its sales performance continued to highlight what it called “the relevance and resilience” of its brands.
The strength of its sales performance had enabled it to manage the macro-economic backdrop and its new openings had traded well, providing “confidence as to the continuing strength of the pipeline”.
As a result, it expects full-year earnings for 2023 to be broadly in line with market expectations.
CEO Nick Collins, pictured, said: “We have once again delivered a truly stand-out performance over the year.
“Our sales have been exceptional with the mature estate trading 18% ahead of pre-pandemic levels and 7% ahead of what was a really strong performance last year.
“We have progressed well with our accelerated site roll-out programme, opening 29 sites during the year which as a cohort are trading well above average.
“The property market continues to work in our favour and our pipeline of around 35 sites for 2024 is incredibly exciting with nine openings planned for the first quarter.
“The first site of our new roadside concept Brightside has opened well, and we look forward to opening the next two Brightside sites in the summer.
“For almost a decade now we have consistently outperformed the market as we strive to deliver better for our customers and our teams.
“The inflationary pressure across our supply chain looks to be easing, and our scale and continued growth have allowed us to mitigate much of the impact.
“We look forward to a continued strong performance as we enter the 2024 full year.”
The first Brightside opened on the A38 south of Exeter in February.
The concept aims to fill what Loungers’ directors see as a gap in the market for “genuine hospitality” in roadside dining and a fight back against the drive-thrus and quick service restaurants that have dominated the sector in recent decades.
The aims is to evoke “memories and excitement” of childhood road trips, say Loungers. Visitors will be greeted by a look that is warm, fun and modern yet feels very familiar and nostalgic.
