The company is naming the branch after its first site in Bristol which opened in 2002
Loungers is opening its first international branch in Germany(Image: Loungers)
Bristol-founded casual dining chain Loungers is opening its first international branch this autumn, it has announced.
The company’s latest site in Essen, Germany, will operate under a new brand name – Southville in a nod to the group’s very first Lounge on North Street in Bristol.
The original Bristol Southville branch was opened by friends Alex Reilley, Jake Bishop and David Reid in 2002. The business now operates 273 Lounges across the UK under the Lounge, Cosy Club and Brightside brands.
The move into Europe follows “extensive work” by the Loungers to understand the German market, the company said, including consumer behaviour, culture and the broader food and drink landscape.
Loungers said it had identified “strong similarities” between German and UK consumer habits, particularly around all-day socialising, casual dining and neighbourhood-focused hospitality.
Reilley, chairman and co-founder of Loungers, said opening in Germany was “a landmark moment” for the business.
“[The opening is] something we’ve approached with real care,” he said. “Southville reflects the evolution of Loungers while staying true to the values we started with back in 2002.
“When we look at Rüttenscheid, we recognise something – the same neighbourhood energy, the same post-industrial reinvention and the same broad mix of cultures and generations that we found on North Street all those years ago.
“Essen is the right city, at the right time, and we’re excited to introduce our style of neighbourhood hospitality to a completely new market.”
According to Loungers, the Essen site will take “the core principles” of the brand, including its all-day offer, and “reinterpret them” for the German market.
It means the German branch will offer table service and reservations, unlike the traditional Lounge UK model. A development chef in Germany has also been brought in to help with the menu, replacing or adapting around half of the current Lounge dishes to reflect the different tastes of German consumers, Loungers said.
Nick Collins, chief executive of Loungers, added: “Germany feels like a natural first step for us. We’ve spent time getting under the skin of the market and there’s a real alignment with the way people eat, drink and socialise.
“Southville gives us the chance to take what we do best and shape it thoughtfully for a new audience, without losing the spirit that has defined the Lounge brand for more than 20 years.”
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