What Simmons Bars does

Simmons Bars is a privately held London-based cocktail bar chain founded in 2013 by Nick Campbell and operated through East Street Leisure Ltd. The company runs 15 retro-themed cocktail bars across central London micro-markets (Soho, Bank, Holborn, Shoreditch, Monument, Leicester Square, Old Street, Piccadilly, Clapham, Liverpool Street, Greek Street, Angel, Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road, Kings Cross) plus one venue in Manchester, with venue capacities ranging from 34 (Angel) to 450 (Holborn). Its core product is a five-hour daily happy hour (4-9pm, 3-8pm in West End venues) featuring 2-for-1 cocktails, £4 pints, and signature sharing formats like £18 cocktail teapots and shot bats. Secondary revenue streams include private karaoke rooms at 7 venues (50,000+ song catalog, 6-150 person capacity), private hire and corporate events (up to 400 guests), themed brunches with Hip Hop LDN, and a 2024-launched mobile app with a £4.99/month Power Hour subscription.

The technology layer centers on a proprietary mobile app (iOS/Android) providing Power Hour activation, reward coins, and subscription management, supplemented by venue-by-venue phone/online booking for tables, karaoke rooms, and private hires via simmonsbar.co.uk. Distribution is purely physical retail across owned venues; the company sells no delivery or e-commerce product and operates no third-party franchise model. Customer mix is dominated by young professionals and social groups aged 25-40 seeking affordable after-work drinks in central London, with secondary segments in corporate/private event bookers and celebration-driven group bookings. Marketing is multi-channel: organic social (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook), email CRM with mailing-list incentives, third-party ticketing platforms (Design My Night), event-driven themed nights (Margarita Mondays, Teapot Tuesdays, Pride, World Cup), and brand partnerships (Hip Hop LDN for ticketed brunch experiences). The company has disclosed no external funding, no parent company, and no M&A activity, operating as a founder-controlled independent bar chain.

Name

Simmons Bars

Legal name

East Street Leisure Ltd

Website

https://simmonsbar.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Simmons Bars is a privately held UK bar chain operating 15 retro-themed cocktail bars across central London and Manchester, founded in 2013 by Nick Campbell, generating revenue primarily from a five-hour daily happy hour, private karaoke rooms, event hire, and themed brunches serving young professionals and group bookers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bar and Hospitality Services

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Cocktail Bars & Lounges (CRANACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bar & Beverage Catering (Mobile Bar, Bartending) (HSACAGAF), Alcohol Subscription Clubs & Membership Retail (CRANAAAI)

Keywords

• Cocktail bar chain
• Happy hour promotions
• Private karaoke rooms
• Private event hire
• Bottomless brunch events

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Food & Beverage Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling cocktails (including signature teapots), spirits, wine, beer, and non-alcoholic drinks across all venues. Happy Hour promotions drive high-volume sales with 2-for-1 cocktails and discounted pints at £4.
2. Private Hire & Event Bookings: Revenue from booking private spaces including function rooms (30-200 people), full venue hires (up to 400), and semi-private table reservations. Pricing based on minimum spends with bar staff, security, and DJ included.
3. Karaoke Room Bookings: Revenue from private karaoke rooms at 7 venues, with pricing from £5-£12 per person depending on day/time, plus drink packages. Capacity ranges from 6 to 150 people.
4. App Subscription: Monthly subscription at £4.99 providing unlimited Power Hours (extra Happy Hour), double coins, Power Hour on weekends, and free venue entry. Drives recurring subscription revenue.
5. Birthday Packages: Pre-arranged drinks packages and party planning services for birthday celebrations, starting at £25 bar tab for mailing list sign-ups plus paid package options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Simmons Bars is a privately held chain of 15 retro-themed cocktail bars across London and one Manchester, selling cocktails, cocktail teapots, shot bats, wine, beer and spirits alongside private karaoke rooms, function-room and full-venue hire, ticketed brunch and themed events, and a mobile app loyalty/subscription program. The core differentiator is a five-hour daily Happy Hour (4-9pm, or 3-8pm in West End venues) offering 2-for-1 cocktails and £4 pints.

Product overview

Simmons Bars is a London-based chain of 15 retro cocktail bars owned by East Street Leisure Ltd, founded in 2013 by Nick Campbell. The core offering centers on a 5-hour Happy Hour (4-9pm, extended to 3-8pm in West End venues) featuring 2-for-1 cocktails and discounted drinks. The portfolio includes karaoke rooms (7 locations, 6-150 capacity), private hire spaces (semi-private to full venue for up to 400), and themed events. The Simmons Bars App provides Power Hour feature for extended Happy Hour. Weekly specials include Margarita Monday (2-for-1), Teapot Tuesday (£18 teapots), and seasonal offerings like Spritz Stop and Pride Events. Food and beverage offerings include cocktails, cocktail teapots, shot bats, wines, beers, and bottomless brunches in partnership with Hip Hop LDN.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Simmons Bars Cocktail Bar Chain Chain of 15 retro cocktail bars across London and Manchester serving cocktails, cocktail teapots, wines, beers, spirits and food alongside live DJs and themed nights, anchored by a 5-hour daily Happy Hour with 2-for-1 cocktails and £4 pints.
• Karaoke Room Hire Private karaoke rooms available at 7 Simmons venues (Soho, Greek Street, Leicester Square, Kings Cross, Liverpool Street, Monument and Manchester), featuring 50,000+ songs, group sizes from 6 to 150 and per-head minimum spend pricing.
• Private Venue Hire Private event hire spanning semi-private areas, function rooms (30-200 guests) and full venue takeovers (up to 400 guests), including private bars, DJ booths, sound systems, and event planning support for corporate and group bookings.
• Simmons Bars Mobile App Mobile application (iOS and Android) enabling Power Hour activation unlocking an extra hour of Happy Hour, reward coin earning, prize spinning, exclusive offer redemption and a £4.99/month subscription providing unlimited daily Power Hours, double coins, Power Hour on weekends and free venue entry.
• Birthday Packages Coordinated birthday celebration packages combining party nights, drinks packages, karaoke rooms and private hire, with nine package options and a free £25 bar tab for mailing list sign-ups.
• Hip Hop Brunches and Ticketed Daytime Events Ticketed themed brunch events (Hip Hop Brunch, R&B Edition, Garage Brunch, 90s Brunch, Afrobashment Day Party) in partnership with Hip Hop LDN, featuring bottomless cocktails, 2-course meals, DJs, MCs and hosts across Simmons venues.
• Christmas Party Packages Seasonal festive party packages including table bookings, karaoke rooms, private and semi-private hire, and festive drinks packages starting at £12 per person, for groups up to 400 guests.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5 hours of Happy Hour daily (vs typical 2-3 hours at competitors)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hip Hop LDNcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOngoing partnership bringing themed brunch events and day parties including Hip Hop Brunch, Garage Brunch, R&B Edition Brunch, 90s Brunch, and Afrobashment Day Party. Events feature bottomless cocktails, 2-course meals, DJs, MCs, and hosts across Simmons venues.
• Design My NightcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTicketing and venue discovery platform listing Simmons venues and hosting ticket sales for special events including Hip Hop Brunch, Garage Brunch, and 90s Brunch.
• Equal MeasuresminorOthersCharity partnership: For every Espresso Martini sold, 50p is donated to Equal Measures, their designated charity partner.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Be At One: UK cocktail bar chain with ~30+ venues focused on premium cocktails and late-night trade. Closest direct comparable to Simmons: similar central London footprint, cocktail-led menu, group occasion focus, now owned by Stonegate Pub Partners.
• Box Bar: London late-night cocktail and party bar chain with multiple central venues. Directly competes with Simmons on party atmosphere, late hours, group bookings, and central London trade.
• Dirty Martini: Premium cocktail bar group operating in London and other UK cities, known for signature martinis and weekend party atmosphere. Directly comparable to Simmons in cocktail focus, central London locations, late-night operating model, and private hire offerings.
• Tonight Josephine: Boutique cocktail bar concept with London and regional UK locations, focused on instagrammable interiors, cocktails, and group occasions. Comparable to Simmons in branding-led experiential cocktail positioning.
• The Cocktail Club: London-focused cocktail bar chain with several central venues, offering 2-for-1 cocktails and themed party nights. Operates a very similar value-led cocktail proposition to Simmons in overlapping London neighborhoods.

Others

• Design My Night: UK venue discovery and ticketing platform that lists Simmons and powers its bottomless brunch ticket sales. Adjacent ecosystem partner rather than competitor, but useful signal of the consumer channel through which Simmons reaches experiential customers.

Emerging players

• Daisy Green Collection: Independent London bar and restaurant group with multiple central venues, focused on design-led, experiential hospitality. Overlaps with Simmons on venue aesthetics, London positioning, and group occasion trade, though more food-led.

Broad incumbents

• Revolution Bars Group: UK operator of Revolution and Revolucion de Cuba bars, formerly public before restructuring. Directly comparable cocktail-led group bar business model, though larger and broader in food offering than Simmons.
• All Bar One: National cocktail bar and dining chain with London and regional presence, offering similar after-work and weekend cocktail occasions. Wider portfolio of food-led venues makes it a broader incumbent versus Simmons' cocktail-pure positioning.
• Slug & Lettuce: Large UK bar and casual dining chain (~70+ sites) owned by Stonegate. Competes with Simmons on happy hour, cocktails, and group occasions but at a broader mid-market price point with food as a larger revenue driver.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/simmonsbars
• Instagraminstagram.com/simmonsbars
• TikToktiktok.com/@simmonsbars

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Simmons Bars