Varsity was a student-focused pub chain operating in the United Kingdom. The name originates from annual university sports competitions. It entered administration in 2013.[1] Coventry is the only remaining pub bearing the name Varsity which is now operated by Stonegate Pub Company.[2]
The chain began in the mid-1990s. Its main competitor was Scream Pubs. Varsity was more sports-orientated than It's A Scream.
Varsity Wolverhampton – the first varsity bar in the chain – shut its doors in June 2012 after The University of Wolverhampton made a successful bid to the struggling Barracuda Group to purchase the building. It ceased trading in 2013.[1]
The Barracuda Group was formed in July 2000 by PPM Ventures, a private equity company that became Silverfleet Capital.
In September 2001 Barracuda Group bought fifty pubs from Wolverhampton & Dudley for £37.25 million, which included the 22 pubs of the Varsity chain.[3]
In June 2005, the Barracuda Group was sold for £262 million to Charterhouse Capital Partners. In August 2006 there were 36 Varsity bars.[4]
A former Varsity at Derry's Cross in Plymouth before its closure in 2013
In October 2012, Barracuda was renamed The Bramwell Pub Company.[5]
The Stonegate Pub Companyedit
In October 2013, The Bramwell Pub Company went into administration. The Stonegate Pub Company bought 78 of the company's pubs including the Varsities in Lincoln and Coventry.[6]
Operationedit
It operated the V Card, one of the first loyalty cards, which allowed a cheaper price for some drinks, and allows better offers on some of the food deals.[7]
^ abLive, North Wales (1 November 2013). "Varsity Blues - bar chain with pubs in North and Mid Wales goes into administration". northwales. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
varsity, chain, varsity, student, focused, chain, operating, united, kingdom, name, originates, from, annual, university, sports, competitions, entered, administration, 2013, coventry, only, remaining, bearing, name, varsity, which, operated, stonegate, compan. Varsity was a student focused pub chain operating in the United Kingdom The name originates from annual university sports competitions It entered administration in 2013 1 Coventry is the only remaining pub bearing the name Varsity which is now operated by Stonegate Pub Company 2 VarsityCompany typeBrandIndustryHospitalityFoundedc 1997FounderWolverhampton amp DudleyHeadquarters500 Capability Green LutonArea servedEngland and WalesProducts23 student themed pubsOwnerStonegate Pub Company 2013 Wolverhampton amp Dudley c 1997 2001 WebsiteStonegate Pub Company Contents 1 History 2 Ownership 2 1 Wolverhampton and Dudley 2 2 Barracuda Group 2 3 The Stonegate Pub Company 3 Operation 4 Previous Estate 4 1 North West England 4 2 North East England 4 3 Yorkshire and the Humber 4 4 East Midlands 4 5 West Midlands 4 6 South West England 4 7 South East England 4 8 Wales 5 References 6 External links 6 1 News itemsHistory editThe chain began in the mid 1990s Its main competitor was Scream Pubs Varsity was more sports orientated than It s A Scream Varsity Wolverhampton the first varsity bar in the chain shut its doors in June 2012 after The University of Wolverhampton made a successful bid to the struggling Barracuda Group to purchase the building It ceased trading in 2013 1 Ownership editWolverhampton and Dudley edit Varsity was founded by Wolverhampton amp Dudley Barracuda Group edit The Barracuda Group was formed in July 2000 by PPM Ventures a private equity company that became Silverfleet Capital In September 2001 Barracuda Group bought fifty pubs from Wolverhampton amp Dudley for 37 25 million which included the 22 pubs of the Varsity chain 3 In June 2005 the Barracuda Group was sold for 262 million to Charterhouse Capital Partners In August 2006 there were 36 Varsity bars 4 nbsp A former Varsity at Derry s Cross in Plymouth before its closure in 2013 In October 2012 Barracuda was renamed The Bramwell Pub Company 5 The Stonegate Pub Company edit In October 2013 The Bramwell Pub Company went into administration The Stonegate Pub Company bought 78 of the company s pubs including the Varsities in Lincoln and Coventry 6 Operation editIt operated the V Card one of the first loyalty cards which allowed a cheaper price for some drinks and allows better offers on some of the food deals 7 Previous Estate editNorth West England edit Longsight Manchester near the Elizabeth Gaskell campus of Manchester Metropolitan University Bolton Churchgate Church Street Preston North East England edit Sunderland near the University of Sunderland off the A1231 8 Durham nbsp Varsity in Leeds Yorkshire and the Humber edit Huddersfield Hull Leeds Sheffield on West Street on the Sheffield Supertram near the University of Sheffield science and engineering departments 9 10 East Midlands edit Leicester two on Friar Lane in the city centre and London Road A6 towards the University of Leicester Lincoln 11 Loughborough nbsp Varsity in Wolverhampton West Midlands edit Coventry on Gibbet Hill Road between the main University of Warwick campus and Westwood Campus 12 Wolverhampton at the University of Wolverhampton South West England edit Gloucester nbsp Varsity in Southampton South East England edit Southampton on London Road Closed in 2016 Southampton on Portswood Broadway Closed in 2013 Southend on Sea 13 14 Wales edit Aberystwyth Bangor near Bangor University Cardiff near Cardiff University 15 Roath Cardiff off the A469 next to the railway Rhymney Line SwanseaReferences edit a b Live North Wales 1 November 2013 Varsity Blues bar chain with pubs in North and Mid Wales goes into administration northwales Retrieved 4 August 2019 Varsity Coventry Stonegate Corporate Site www stonegatepubs com Retrieved 4 August 2019 Wayback Machine has not archived that URL Retrieved 27 March 2023 dead link Varsity Bars Room Hire Barracuda restructures becomes Bramwell Pub Co 30 September 2012 Stonegate rescue some of Bramwell s Pubs The Publicans Guide Barracuda s Varsity bars target fresher 27 August 2009 Sunderland Nightlife Sheffield pub guide Varsity Sheffield South Yorkshire www pub explorer com Lincoln Varsity Warwick Westwood Heath Coventry West Midlands www pub explorer com Varsity Southend on Sea Essex www pub explorer com Pub Rooms Southend Cardiff pubsExternal links editStonegate Varsity News items edit Punch up outside Swansea pub in January 2011 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Varsity pub chain amp oldid 1197527285, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
