Loungers to open first Cosy Club
The south-west café-bar company Loungers is set to open a new casual-dining and drinking concept called the Cosy Club in Taunton early next month.
Loungers has converted Taunton's former arts college, Hunts Court, to its new concept, which opens on Friday 10 September.
The company is aiming to have 40 sites open by the end of 2013 and the Cosy Club is a concept it has developed for smaller towns — it's less urban than its 14-strong Loungers café-bar concept.
Loungers founder Alex Reilley said he expected between eight and 12 of the planned 40 sites will be Cosy Clubs.
"The concern has been in a town like Taunton that they probably don't want an urbanised look," he said.
Loungers has reported like-for-like sales up 7.7% in the six months to June this year.
It is taking advantage of market conditions by expanding with capital expenditure costs 30% lower than prior to the recession.
