Simon Rimmer's pub firm acquires third site
Liverpool-based pub and restaurant group Flying Pig & Lobster has opened its third pub, this time at the Viking Pub & Bakehouse in West Kirby.
The business already has outlets in Woolton, Liverpool: the Elephant and the Liberty Tavern.
The acquisition of the new site comes after £600,000 in Growth Capital funding from Santander Corporate & Commercial.
Established in 2013 by Roy Ellis, Charlotte Kemp and Neil Macleod together with TV celebrity chef Simon Rimmer, Flying Pig & Lobster is focused on developing high-quality restaurants, pubs and bars in suburban locations.
The Viking Pub & Bakehouse's name, cuisine and design have all been inspired by West Kirby's Viking heritage. The food has an emphasis on fresh fish and specialty dishes such as sweetheart waffles, smorgasbords as well as breads including cranberry rye, focaccia and house sourdough.
The deal is the 100th from the £200m Growth Capital funding deal by Santander Corporate & Commercial, launched in 2011.
Over the past five years, Santander has supported 84 separate enterprises with Growth Capital loans. The Viking Pub & Bakehouse has already employed 60 local people who have all received training in partnership with Wirral Metropolitan College.
Roy Ellis, director, Flying Pig & Lobster, said: "Charlotte, Neil, Simon and I have developed a successful and vibrant business in Liverpool. We aim to open more pubs and restaurants in towns or busy villages across the north of England. Our previous business, Revolution bars, grew to 75 outlets over a period of 20 years. We aim to grow at a similar pace of three to four outlets per year with our latest business.
"We are confident the pub in West Kirby will become a popular and unique dining experience and thank the Growth Capital team at Santander for its support in helping us realise this ambition. We aim to make The Viking the best pub for miles around."
Steve Harrison, Growth Capital Director, Santander Corporate & Commercial added: "We are delighted to support Roy, Neil, Simon and the team at Flying Pig & Lobster with this new and exciting venture in West Kirby. The firm has strong aspirations to grow and expand both regionally and in the UK, and it's great that they have been able to get support from our Growth Capital Fund, a cost-efficient form of debt capital aimed at helping established UK businesses to grow faster and create new jobs."
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