Premium Bars and Restaurants ltd, now part of The Orchid Group, operate a largely premium estate of bars and restaurants. The company is spearheaded by The Living Room and Prohibition Bar & Grill brands, as well as having a number of bars, restaurants, nightclubs and two hotels across the country.

The Company began life in 1997 as Ultimate Leisure Group and the estate focused on late night venues in the North East of England. In August 2005, 73% of the total estate was in the North East. Since then, major acquisitions were made, sites that were not capable of making the transition to fit with the new strategy were released; and the offer in the remaining core estate was broadened to cater for the food-led, premium end of the market.

The company originated in the North East, and indeed still has a major commitment to the region, but attaining a balanced geographic spread made good business sense and now less than one third of the total estate is in the North East. Premium Bars and Restaurants Ltd now operate a multitude of venues in City Centre locations across the UK.

The Orchid Group, the UK’s largest independent managed pub and restaurant operator completed the acquisition of 43 businesses from Premium Bars & Restaurants plc in December. Orchid is making a capital investment across the PBR estate, further leveraging its operating disciplines and maximising the skill sets and talents of the acquired businesses. The new sites take the number of pubs, bars and restaurants within the Orchid portfolio to 292, further demonstrating the Group’s commitment to growth.