The Buzzacott M&A team is delighted to have advised London Brasseries Limited on its sale to the owners of Evolv Collection.

Overview of deal

Buzzacott acted as lead adviser on the sale of London Brasseries Limited, a high-quality operator of five well-known restaurants in the West End. The business was sold to joint investors Calveton UK and Breal Capital, owners of businesses in the hospitality sector, including the renowned Evolv Collection (formerly D&D London).

Who are the firms involved?

London Brasseries Limited operates five restaurants across Covent Garden (Maxwell’s, Palm Court Brasserie and Boulevard Brasserie), Soho (Old Compton Brasserie) and Chelsea (Polo Joe’s). The business has been sold to Calveton UK and Breal Capital, acting as co-investors. Calveton UK is a leading investor and operator in the hospitality and leisure sector, while Breal Capital is a private investment firm specialising in the hospitality, retail and lifestyle sectors.

What we liked about this deal

This was a unique deal as we were appointed to advise the Executors of the late Brian Stein’s estate, within which London Brasseries Limited was held, and the ultimate beneficiaries were his family. Brian was a restaurateur and entrepreneur who set up the business in 1972, and it has remained a key player in London’s dining scene since.

The hospitality industry has had a tough few years, with legislative changes being a major contributor to this however, London Brasseries has demonstrated resilience and continued to perform strongly. We ran a competitive sale process, yielding multiple offers from a range of credible buyers. Despite the challenging hospitality M&A market, we are proud to have navigated the transaction to completion and delivered a successful outcome for all stakeholders.