Varsity (pub chain)

Varsity

Company type	Brand
Industry	Hospitality
Founded	c.1997
Founder	Wolverhampton & Dudley
Headquarters	500 Capability Green, Luton
Area served	England and Wales
Products	23 student themed pubs
Owner	Stonegate Pub Company (2013–) Wolverhampton & Dudley (c.1997–2001)
Website	Stonegate Pub Company

Varsity was a student-focused pub chain operating in the United Kingdom. The name originates from annual university sports competitions. It entered administration in 2013. ^[1] Coventry is the only remaining pub bearing the name Varsity which is now operated by Stonegate Pub Company. ^[2]

History

The chain began in the mid-1990s. Its main competitor was Scream Pubs. Varsity was more sports-orientated than It's A Scream.

Varsity Wolverhampton – the first varsity bar in the chain – shut its doors in June 2012 after The University of Wolverhampton made a successful bid to the struggling Barracuda Group to purchase the building. It ceased trading in 2013. ^[1]

Ownership

Wolverhampton and Dudley

Varsity was founded by Wolverhampton & Dudley.

Barracuda Group

The Barracuda Group was formed in July 2000 by PPM Ventures, a private equity company that became Silverfleet Capital.

In September 2001 Barracuda Group bought fifty pubs from Wolverhampton & Dudley for £37.25 million, which included the 22 pubs of the Varsity chain. ^[3]

In June 2005, the Barracuda Group was sold for £262 million to Charterhouse Capital Partners. In August 2006 there were 36 Varsity bars. ^[4]

A former Varsity at Derry's Cross in Plymouth before its closure in 2013

In October 2012, Barracuda was renamed The Bramwell Pub Company. ^[5]

The Stonegate Pub Company

In October 2013, The Bramwell Pub Company went into administration. The Stonegate Pub Company bought 78 of the company's pubs including the Varsities in Lincoln and Coventry. ^[6]

Operation

It operated the V Card, one of the first loyalty cards, which allowed a cheaper price for some drinks, and allows better offers on some of the food deals. ^[7]

Previous Estate

North West England

• Longsight, Manchester, near the Elizabeth Gaskell campus of Manchester Metropolitan University

• Bolton, Churchgate
• Church Street, Preston

North East England

• Sunderland, near the University of Sunderland, off the A1231 ^[8]

• Durham

Varsity in Leeds

Yorkshire and the Humber

• Huddersfield
• Hull
• Leeds
• Sheffield, on West Street, on the Sheffield Supertram near the University of Sheffield (science and engineering departments) ^{[9] [10]}

East Midlands

• Leicester – two, on Friar Lane in the city centre, and London Road (A6) towards the University of Leicester
• Lincoln ^[11]
• Loughborough

Varsity in Wolverhampton

West Midlands

• Coventry, on Gibbet Hill Road, between the main University of Warwick campus and Westwood (Campus) ^[12]
• Wolverhampton, at the University of Wolverhampton

South West England

• Gloucester

Varsity in Southampton

South East England

• Southampton – on London Road. Closed in 2016.
• Southampton – on Portswood Broadway. Closed in 2013.
• Southend-on-Sea ^{[13] [14]}

Wales

• Aberystwyth
• Bangor, near Bangor University
• Cardiff, near Cardiff University ^[15]
• Roath (Cardiff), off the A469 next to the railway (Rhymney Line)
• Swansea

References

1. Live, North Wales (1 November 2013). "Varsity Blues - bar chain with pubs in North and Mid Wales goes into administration". northwales. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
2. "Varsity, Coventry | Stonegate Corporate Site". www.stonegatepubs.com. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
3. "Wayback Machine has not archived that URL" . Retrieved 27 March 2023.^{[ dead link ]}
4. "Varsity Bars Room Hire".
5. "Barracuda restructures, becomes Bramwell Pub Co". 30 September 2012.
6. "Stonegate rescue some of Bramwell's Pubs". The Publicans Guide.
7. "Barracuda's Varsity bars target fresher". 27 August 2009.
8. "Sunderland Nightlife".
9. "Sheffield pub guide".
10. "Varsity - Sheffield South Yorkshire". www.pub-explorer.com.
11. "Lincoln".
12. "Varsity Warwick - Westwood Heath Coventry West Midlands". www.pub-explorer.com.
13. "Varsity - Southend on Sea Essex". www.pub-explorer.com.
14. "Pub Rooms Southend".
15. Cardiff pubs

External links

• Stonegate Varsity

News items

• Punch up outside Swansea pub in January 2011