Marston’s buys Bar Central chain

Regional brewer Marston’s has bought the London-based Bar Central restaurant chain, which it is converting into Pitcher & Piano outlets.

Amanda Johnson, research manager at Pitcher & Piano, says: “We have 19 bars and are planning to have 50 by the year 2000.”

It bought the chain from Queens Ice Skating, which is using profits from the sale to revamp its flagship ice skating rink and bowling alley in London’s Queensway and to buy and refurbish the Phoenix Plaza ten pin bowling centre in Wokingham.

David Stephens, finance director of Queens Ice Skating, says: “We are using profits from the sale to roll out the ‘leisure box concept’ – the combination of ten pin bowling, fast food facilities, bars and interactive machines – in time for the millennium.” He refuses to reveal how much the chain has been sold for.

The Richmond branch of Bar Central was reopened as Pitcher & Piano last Friday, and the Kings Road outlet is likely to follow suit on June 12.

Queens Ice Skating bought the Bar Central chain from Grosvenor Inns in spring 1997. Although Queens still owns the rights to the Bar Central brand, Stephens says: “It is unlikely we will re-open a restaurant called Bar Central.”

Recommended

UCI woos women away from World Cup with ‘hunk’ films

Marketing Week

UCI Cinemas, the largest multiplex cinema chain in the country, is launching a cut-price season of romantic films to attract women bored by World Cup ties between foreign teams. But the screenings will avoid the dates when England and Scotland play – because so many women are expected to watch the football. During Euro 96 […]

Coke joins 60m FA sponsorship line-up

Marketing Week

Coca-Cola is to be the third sponsor in the 60m Football Association’s Associate package, covering the England team and the FA Cup. It joins One-2-One and Umbro. The FA is looking for ten sponsors to sign four-year deals in the package, which is the most expensive sponsorship in the UK to date. Louise Terry, spokeswoman […]

Brief

Marketing Week

Western Union International is launching the first global campaign for its Money Transfer service. The push, devised by the London office of DMB&B, will be shown in more than 40 countries. The first TV ad in the campaign,called ‘Loved Ones’, will air during the Bulgaria versus Nigeria World Cup match on June 19. It underlines […]