Sessions Market secures investment ahead of expansion

Food hall business Sessions Market has secured investment and strengthened its senior team ahead of plans to open further sites later this year.

The company, founded in 2019 by ex-Deliveroo managing director Dan Warne, will relaunch its debut site on Brighton seafront (pictured) this month and is due to open a second food hall before 2022.

Sessions Market aims to use its sites as incubators for new hospitality brands, and there are plans to launch further pop-ups and concepts throughout the year.

The company has secured investment from Perscitus LLP, which also backs plant-based food brand Gosh!, and has announced a series of new hires. These include chef Luke Thomas, known for launching his first restaurant, Luke's Dining Room at Sanctum on the Green at the age of 18,, who has joined as creative culinary director.

Former Sourced Market chief executive Ben O’Brien is the new chief operating officer, and Ian Banks has been named chief financial officer after holding the same role at Soho House.

Abby Hughes, who has over 25 years' experience in luxury hospitality, is the new head of special projects.

Warne said: “This is a very exciting time for the industry as a more positive future for hospitality approaches, and given we first launched Sessions Market during the Covid-19 lockdown, myself and the team have great ambitions to take the business to the next level and continue the growth.”

Shelter Hall, Sessions Market’s Brighton site, will relaunch this month with a food concept from 2018 MasterChef winner Kenny Tutt.