Rhubarb snaps up the Brewery London

The Brewery on Chiswell Street in London has been sold to Rhubarb Hospitality Collection for an undisclosed sum.

The grade II listed venue occupies the site of the former Whitbread’s 18th Century brewery in east London

Beer was brewed on the site up until the 1970s after which it was turned into an event space which hosts up to 500 events annually.

The Earls Court and Olympia group (EC&O) has operated the Brewery since it acquired the site from Whitbread in 2005 for £55m, with Rhubarb Hospitality Collection set to be the historic venue’s latest owner.

Rhubarb’s list of venues includes Sky Garden, 22 Bishopsgate and the Royal Albert Hall, as well as catering for immersive live experiences such as Mamma Mia! The Party and Frameless. Rhubarb also provides food, drink and hospitality services at Co-op Live in Manchester. 

The caterer has 60 venues across London, New York, the Hamptons and Berlin delivery up to 1,500 events a year, with this latest acquisition boosting its workforce to 2,500 employees. 

Rhubarb was sold to US stadium operator Oak View Group for over £100m in 2023.

PB Jacobse, chief executive of the Rhubarb Collection, said: “Rhubarb has been on a steep growth curve that OVG has supercharged in the last year. We are delighted to add the Brewery in the heart of London to our growing portfolio and look forward to working with their team to deliver exceptional events, and continuing to provide unique, unforgettable experiences for visitors.”

James Varah, chief executive of City Brewery Limited who will remain in his position leading the management team, added: “The Brewery has developed a reputation as the go-to venue for major conferences, awards, and dinners in the City of London.

“Rhubarb has quickly become one of the leading hospitality businesses in the UK, and this partnership will enable us to further enhance our existing customer offering and develop exciting new venue opportunities in the coming years.”