Arc Inspirations EBITDA up 23%

A northern bar and nightlife operator has released a moral-boosting set of results, demonstrating the appetite for late-night socialising is still out there.

Arc Inspirations, which operates the brands BOX, Manahatta and Banyan, has increased its turnover by 16.2% to £47.4m in the year to March 2024. 

Underlying profits for the group were up 37.1% to £5.3m, posting an EBITDA increase of 22.9%, up from 21.4%. The results will be encouraging news for other bar and late-night operators, as much of the sector struggles with various industry challenges. 

"We are extremely proud of what the group has achieved over the past 12 months in what has been a transformational year," says co-founder and CEO Martin Wolstencroft. "As a business, we continue to track ahead of the market, which is extremely positive."

Launching new sites

The company’s year-end results were boosted with the launch of four new sites – BOX Brindleyplace in Birmingham; Manahatta Newcastle; BOX Nottingham; and Manahatta Sheffield. 

Over half of the group’s 21 sites reported their best-ever sales weeks during the week commencing 11 December 2023. Like-for-like sales for the four weeks to the end of December 2023 were up 19% compared to December 2022. The individual brands outperformed the previous year, with BOX up 30%, Manahatta up 24% and Banyan ahead 10%. 

During this financial period, the business’s executive team launched its enhanced strategy ‘The Arc Way’ to drive forward its brand-led expansion plan to grow to 50 sites by 2030. 

In the current financial year, Arc plans to open two new Manahatta sites in Nottingham and Edinburgh, and a BOX in Sheffield in 2024. Following this, the business will also launch a Manahatta in Liverpool in early 2025 and is actively pursuing further site opportunities in London, Cardiff and Scotland. 

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