The Past

Set up in late 1999 and owned by entrepreneurs Tim Bacon and Jeremy Roberts, Living Ventures was born from the success of previous businesses in the catering industry. Tim and Jeremy had been highly successful in developing bars and restaurants in partnership with regional and national brewers and selling their share in the business once established.

Via Vita, the first concept to be launched by Tim and Jeremy's previous company - Life Restaurants grew to five sites before their partners Marston Thompson & Evershed bought Life's half of the business in 1998. The partnership then went on to develop Life Café, Two sites in Liverpool and Manchester were developed  before the fledgling brand was sold to hotel and restaurant operator Whitbread in1999.

 In 1999 The Living Room was born.

The Living Room soon became a triumph and developed across most major cities in the UK. The key to Living Ventures success with The Living Room was its ability to offer quality without exclusivity and high levels of service without high prices. The first Living Room, in Manchester, raked in more than £1.9m in its first year and was joined by a second venue within just 10 months. At this time Tim and Jeremy also developed the Prohibition bar format in 2003 (which was sold to Ultimate Leisure plc in late 2005 for £2.75m.)

In December 2005, the Sunday Times Top 100 named Living Ventures the fastest-growing company in hospitality thanks to annual sales growth of 99.25% between 2001 and 2004, when turnover grew from £2.47m to £19.55m as it became a national player and perhaps more significantly the company's focus on staff training and development was recognized by the sponsors as they scooped the competitions prestigeous Service Award.

In March 2005 on the back of this phenomenal growth the group added the under performing Est Est Est chain of restaurants in a deal which saw the listed restaurant company, The Restaurat Group, take a 38% stake in the company by buying out the existing private equity partner Bowmark Capital. 

In 2006 turnover peaked at more than £51m. This success and in particular that of The Living Room did not go unnoticed by fellow operators. In June 2007  Ultimate leisure paid £28 million to acquire the TLR estate.

Tim and Jeremy having successfuly refinanced the business completed a rebranding exercise by mid 2008 of the remaining 14 strong estate estalishing two exciting new brands Blackhouse Grills and Gusto – Restaurant and Bar