Iconic British bar chain confirms closure of 21 venues with 591 jobs lost

Administrators said 14 Revolution Bars, six Revolución de Cuba venues and one Peach Pubs site will close.

The announcement came as FTI confirmed two rescue deals securing 41 venues and 1,582 jobs.

Neos Hospitality Group, the operator behind Barbara’s Bier Haus and Bonnie Rogues, has acquired the Revolution and Revolución de Cuba brands and assets.

The remaining Peach Pubs operation has been taken over by a newly created business, the Coral Pub Company.

The pub chain had previously warned that the Labour Government’s tax increases, including higher National Insurance and a rise in the minimum wage, were piling pressure on the business.

Formerly known as Revolution Bar Group, the company has recorded an estimated £36million in losses over the past four years.

In a statement, the group said: “Since the transactions being contemplated are not expected to deliver any return to shareholders, the board has resolved to take action to protect creditors.

"Unless circumstances change, and in accordance with statutory requirements, the board intends to appoint administrators within 10 business days.

“The business will continue to trade, and the company will continue to work alongside advisers in order to preserve as much value as possible for all stakeholders as it advances a potential sale of all or parts of the business.”

Under chairman Luke Johnson, the former Pizza Express chief, The Revel Collection put itself up for sale in October 2025 as its cash crisis worsened and sales continued to fall.

By December, the company warned that shareholders were likely to see their investment wiped out under any rescue deal.

The group had already undergone a major restructuring in 2024, closing 15 loss‑making bars in an effort to stabilise trading.

That turnaround plan was later abandoned, with bosses launching a strategic review last autumn to explore new funding options and the potential sale of all or parts of the business.

Management admitted last year that revenues had come in below expectations, blaming tighter spending by younger customers and unusually warm summer weather.

Sales fell 7.4 per cent to £26.3million in the three months to September, driven by a 10.5 per cent like‑for‑like slump across its bars division.

The company also revealed that its debt burden had increased further, rising to £25.3million from £22.1million at the end of June.

The news comes on the same day that Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to confirm a £300million support package for pubs, as venues face rising operational costs and falling customer footfall.

This move to potentially provide business rate relief exclusively for pubs has been controversial among voices in the live music, bar and hotel sectors, citing similar challenges.