Glasgow entrepreneur Oli Norman has taken full control of the seven-strong pub business that he and Stephen White built. Norman has now parted ways with White having acquired White’s 50% stake in the business. This means that he now has full control of the company which the two set up in 2010. The deal values the business in excess of £15 million.
Norman, 40, now has sole control of some of the Glasgow’s best-known and most popular venues, including Sloans, Brel, Maggie May’s and The Griffin. The deal also covers recent additions to the portfolio – Epicures of Hyndland, the nearby Nick’s Italian Kitchen and Bar and the newly-launched Jacques in Finnieston.
Stephen White said, “Oli and I have complemented each other very well and the growth of the business is something we’re both extremely proud of. We’ve achieved strong, sustained growth in a very competitive market and I felt that it was the right time to sell my share of the business to Oli and move on to my next venture. I’ve got some very interesting opportunities which I’m keen to take forward in the coming months.
“Oli will undoubtedly continue the group’s expansion and I’m excited to see what he does next. The business is in extremely good shape, with a very talented and highly motivated team and is well-placed to capitalise on Glasgow’s burgeoning bar and restaurant scene.”
Oli Norman, who is also the founder of exclusive deals and events company itison, said, “My partnership with Stephen has been incredibly successful and we’ve had a great journey together. I’m excited about the future, particularly following the recent acquisition of Nick’s, Epicures and Jacques, with major plans in store for them.”
White, who also owns several other well-known Glasgow venues, including Blackfriars and Munro’s, is also founder of the Scottish Gin Society.
The business employs more than 200 people.