The inspiration behind our high street brands

Seemingly passion is behind many hospitality businesses, a desire to provide a unique or special experience to drive customers through their doors and delight them. Reading some of our fantastic brands own stories of how their businesses came about is truly inspiring. With some strong brands on our high street today, how they got there in the first place is remarkable. For many of our brands, one tiny idea with the simplest of concepts has created something enormous.

Loungers:
Inspired by the three founders, (long standing friends) who quite simply ‘wanted somewhere to drink for themselves’. One small wish, that has successfully lead to them doing just that and furnishing our high streets with a fresh and inviting brand. Fast forward to a cosy, inviting set up using eccentric, reclaimed furniture, a sprinkling of board games and a community book swap; they have devised an area where they wholly promote #LoveLounging. These neighbourhood café bars have created a relaxed place to go all day long for coffee, breakfasts, tapas, sandwiches, and the lot. If you want to go somewhere that ‘feels like home’ or have a breakfast ‘that makes it worth turning vegetarian for’, we’ve found it for you.

Working for them: It's all about nurturing a long-term career in a company that is going places. Have a look at their jobs.

Abokado: 
Abokado was born out of a frustration of working long hours in the city and weight gains from on the go quick mayonnaise filled sandwiches by married couple Mark and Lindsay Lilley. And as a side note, Lindsay was tired of letting out her husbands trousers, her words not ours! With a dream of ‘being masters of their own destiny’, Mark and Lindsay gave up their jobs and travelled the world where inspiration was found in Sydney as they lived off healthy alternatives like sushi, noodles and juices. From here their vision was cemented into them wanting to bring such food back to the UK.  In 2004 with much determination they opened their first Covent Garden Abokado and from there, with passion and hard work, (a lot of hard work), they now have 25 shops across the City and West End. For them it is all about creating a ‘Feel Great’ menu that is accessible to all. 

Working for them: They employ like-minded individuals and have created a team that feels like family, those who share their passion.. and as a perk they have every weekend off. They have a lot to thank those round the world tickets for!. Have a look at their jobs.

Marriott: 
This is a big international brand that we have all heard of. And it’s origins back in 1927 was sprung out of John Willard Marriott and his wife Alice, wanting to give residents of Washington City a cool drink for the hot, humid summers. From offering Root beer at a curbside food stand, they certainly got a flavour for hospitality and such a simple concept then lead them to opening a chain of Hot Shoppes restaurants adding Mexican food items to the menu. Fast-forward 30 years; their first hotel was opened in Virginia. A great example of how from small acorns, large oak trees do grow.

Working for them: With 500 global locations, this is a company offering much diversity in the type of role you can do and where in the world you choose to do it. Have a look at their jobs.

Greggs:
A brand that is synonymous with every high street and well known for, amongst other things, their golden puffy sausage rolls, (and the more recent vegan sausage roll that certainly made a splash in the headlines). 75 years ago, John Gregg had one clear goal – to deliver (by pushbike) fresh eggs and yeast to the families of Newcastle.  After ten years of hard pedalling, the first Greggs, (Gosforth) was opened with the concept the same – baking and selling fresh breads and tasty treats. Over the years they have developed ten fold with more offerings, keeping up with the fashions and trends within the food and beverage sector and spilling out on to all our high streets.

Working for them: Greggs knows its staff are their greatest asset and works hard at ensuring this is communicated and benefits and training are very much part of their every day. And with a company motto of 'where every day tastes good', why not give it a whirl. Have a look at their jobs.