Inventive sets sights on 12 new bars in 2010

Revolution vodka bar operator Inventive Leisure could open as many as a dozen new sites in 2010 as it re-starts its property pipeline.

Chief executive Roy Ellis said that the company had stayed away from new openings for a couple of years as it re-engineered the offer at existing venues in the 58-strong chain.

The past six months had produced a number of new site opportunities and the company was in advanced legals on six sites — with six more being looked at seriously.

"We're comfortable opening up to a dozen sites a year at the moment," Ellis said. 

The first new openings are set for Brighton — where it's taken over sister company Tattershall Castle Group's Kulture venue on West Street — and Sunderland.

The new opening plans come after Inventive enjoyed strong December trading with like-for-likes up by single digit levels on the year before.

"Christmas and New Year were surprisingly good last year and we were a bit up on that this year.

"The high street was not too badly affected by the bad weather — it came late enough not to affect most sites.

"There were a few party cancellations but only isolated cases really."

Ellis mentioned Deansgate, Manchester, Cardiff, Leadenhall and Cambridge as among the company's best performing venues.

New Year's Eve trading was comparable to an ordinary Friday night — as has been the pattern since the Millennium.

Added Ellis: "It used to be a massive event 20 years ago — it hasn't been quite the same since Millennium Eve when people got used to the idea of having a party at home."