Arc Inspirations makes double appointment
Lewis joins the company behind 17 bars across the north of England off the back of 12 years’ experience at leading retailers including Tesco and Morrisons – where her focus ranged from advertising strategies and media planning to supporting new store openings and local customer acquisition and retention.
As Arc Inspirations’ head of marketing, Lewis will look to promote and strengthen the group’s distinctive bar brands – Banyan Bar & Kitchen, Box and Manahatta – and unique customer experience.
She will be joined at Arc Inspirations by Knockton, an experienced finance director with more than two decades’ worth of industry experience who will replace Andy Whelan, who left Arc Inspirations to pursue other opportunities.
Most recently, financial director for customer experience management and brand communication specialist Communisis, Knockton also served as KP Snacks’ head of finance.
“I am delighted to welcome these two new members to our expanding and passionate team at an exciting time for us,” Arc Inspirations’ CEO Martin Wolstencroft said of the new hires.
“Their appointments will be instrumental in driving forward our business as we take the momentum from an exceptional year in 2019 and look to selectively target expansion in new locations.”
Building on Arc Inspiration’s ‘most successful year'
It’s hoped that the addition of Lewis and Knockton will spur Arc Inspirations on as it looks to expand into new towns and cities across the north and the Midlands following strong trading in 2019, which culminated in being shortlisted in two categories at the 2020 Publican Awards.
As reported by The Morning Advertiser, the operator announced record festive sales performance across December 2019, notching 6% like-for-like sales growth and its three Manchester bars registering combined like-for-like growth of 12%.
In addition, the company announced its new hires as it looks to build upon strong growth and targeted expansion in the year to March 2019.
During the period described as the ‘most successful year in the company’s history’, Arc Inspirations revealed that adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 15% from £3.2m to £3.7m.
What’s more, the group – which currently operates nine Banyan venues, five Manahatta sites and two Box bars – saw turnover increase by £3.9m from £23.3m to £27.2m over the same period, representing a 16.7% rise.
