Ambitious Utopian develops portfolio

Utopian Leisure, the company set up by former Ultimate Leisure boss Bob Senior, has acquired nightclub company Tokyo Industries for an undisclosed sum.

The deal means that Utopian picks up the three freehold Tokyo sites in Huddersfield, Oldham and Newcastle, and a 1,500-capacity Digital nightclub in Newcastle.

Tokyo Industries founders Aaron Mellor and Rob Cameron will continue to operate the venues in a new Utopian subsidiary called Utopian Three.

Senior said: "Aaron and Rob have specialist dance market credibility, whereas we are more mainstream operators. I see this deal as a merger of abilities."

Senior first worked with Mellor 14 years ago when Mellor ran student nights at venues operated by the Utopian boss.

Utopian has also set up a food division called Utopian Two after acquiring Milano's Italian restaurant in Belfast in partnership with local rest-aurateur Eddie Fung.

The leasehold venue is to be refurbished and reopened serving Asian food.

The clutch of deals means that Utopian is expecting to have a turnover of around £15m in a year's time - Tokyo Industries has a turnover of around £7m.

Utopian has previously taken the lease on a 22,000sq ft venue in Belfast's Odyssey complex, previously run without much success as the Precious and Refinery nightclub. Senior opened a nightclub, Bambu Beach, in the same complex during his days at Ultimate.

The new Belfast site is expected to reopen at the end of November and will be called Loveshack.

Senior set up Utopian last September with former Ultimate development director Tim Wynn. The company has a £100m debt facility.