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Walkabout is an Australian themed pub and restaurant chain in the United Kingdom, owned by Stonegate Pubs since December 2016. [1]
The first Walkabout bar was opened in 1994. In December 2016, it was reported that the brand had 30 outlets, down from a peak of about 50. [1]
In 2009, Walkabout's parent company went into administration. A number of unprofitable sites were closed and the company refinanced itself. [2]
In the 2010s, Walkabout came under pressure by boroughs keen to clean up and gentrify their high streets. [3] Its Covent Garden branch, which was the first to open in the mid '90s, was closed in March 2013 with the company saying the site was too small. [2] There were 30 Walkabouts left operating at this time. [2] Shepherd's Bush Walkabout, one of their best known branches, closed in October 2013, leaving only one branch of Walkabout in London. [3] This closed in 2017.
Commencing in 2013, Walkabout embarked on a refurbishment programme across the estate, with the following sites being refurbished: Derby, Carlisle, Lincoln and Blackpool. Following a hiatus in the refurbishment programme works began in earnest in 2015 starting in March with Walkabout Bristol, followed by Sheffield and Newquay. Also the first new Walkabout for 6 years opened in Brighton [4] (in the former Walkabout site); other new venues popped up in Solihull and Lichfield (following the purchase of two former Apres sites [5] ). 2015 finished with the opening of a new Walkabout in Manchester's Printworks just before Christmas. [6]
2016 began with the refurbishment of the Walkabout Birmingham on Broad St. [7] Throughout the year, many other existing venues were refurbished, now functioning as new concept Walkabouts. They also have continued to acquire a variety of new sites across the UK and close others. [8]
The most recent opening was in Chelmsford, [9] where the site transitioned from a Wetherspoons to a new Walkabout bar in under three weeks. [10] In contrast, Walkabout's Liverpool venue closed on New Year's Day 2018 after 20 years. [11]
Walkabout has also evolved through innovation, [12] from collaborations with Pieminister [13] and Kilner, [14] to developments in their food offering and stadium seating being added to the Reading venue for watching sports. [15]
Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and with the Royal Opera House, itself known as "Covent Garden". The district is divided by the main thoroughfare of Long Acre, north of which is given over to independent shops centred on Neal's Yard and Seven Dials, while the south contains the central square with its street performers and most of the historical buildings, theatres and entertainment facilities, including the London Transport Museum and the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
J D Wetherspoon is a pub company operating in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company was founded in 1979 by Tim Martin and is based in Watford. It operates the sub-brand of Lloyds No.1 bars, and 56 Wetherspoon hotels. Wetherspoon is known for converting unconventional premises, such as former cinemas and banks, into pubs – part of its wider engagement with local history. The company is publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.
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Slug and Lettuce is a chain of bars that operate in the United Kingdom, with a large number located in London and South East England. As of 2017, there are a total of 70 outlets. Hugh Corbett opened the first Slug and Lettuce in Islington in 1985. He attempted to enhance the public-house environment, at a time when standards were often low.
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Printworks is an urban entertainment venue offering a cinema, clubs and eateries, located on the corner of Withy Grove and Corporation Street in Manchester city centre, England.
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The Tally Ho is a public house in north Finchley, north London, under the management of the Stonegate Pub Company.
Dishoom is a small Bombay (Mumbai)-inspired restaurant group with locations throughout the UK.
The Golden Beam is a pub and Grade II listed building located in the Headingley area of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It was built in c. 1912 for the Church of Christ, Scientist, and was known as the Elinor Lupton Centre from 1986 to 2010 when it was a school arts centre. It was designed by Piet de Jong and William Peel Schofield from the architectural firm Schofield and Berry. Constructed in white Portland stone in a mixed style of Egyptian Revival and Art Deco, it was originally built as a Sunday school in c. 1912–1914, extended in the 1930s with a church building and then used by the Leeds Girls' High School as a theatre and music centre from 1986 until 2010. The structure has architectural significance in the locality due to its distinct style and use of materials; many original features and fittings survive, including the entrance foyer, two staircases and a glazed lantern in the auditorium roof.
Printworks was a nightclub and events venue in Rotherhithe, South London. Taking its name from the building's former use for newspaper printing, it became one of the UK's top nightclubs. Closed for redevelopment in 2023, the Press Halls section of the building is scheduled to reopen as a music and events venue in 2026.
The Old Council House is a former municipal building in Poplar Road, Solihull, West Midlands, England. The town hall, which was the meeting place of Solihull Borough Council, is now a public house.
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