Industry Entertainment Founded 2006 | Number of locations 10 Venues (2016) Area served United Kingdom | |
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Key people Steve Ball (CEO)
Riz Shaikh (CEO)
Andy Payton (Director) Subsidiaries The Old Queens Head,
XOYO,
The Jazz Cafe,
The Blues Kitchen,
The Camden Assembly,
The Nest,
Sunfall Festival,
Phonox,
Paradise By Way Of Kensal Green Website www.thecolumbogroup.com Headquarters United Kingdom, London, United Kingdom, England, United Kingdom Type of business Private company limited by shares | ||
The Columbo Group is a hospitality and entertainment company that maintains various properties; mostly nightclubs and restaurants, as well as an annual music festival. The company's portfolio includes The Old Queen's Head, XOYO, Paradise By Way Of Kensal Green, The Nest, Phonox, The Blues Kitchen, The Jazz Cafe, Sunfall Festival, The Camden Assembly, and was awarded with the Best Late Night Operator 2015 award by The Morning Advertiser's Publican Awards.
Music Week writer James Hanley wrote the feature 'Eye On The Ball', profiling The Columbo Group and their continued success after the prosperous relaunch of The Jazz Cafe. An interview with founder Steve Ball provided the basis for the article which was released to subscribers on September 12th, 2016.
History
The group's founding directors are Steve Ball and Riz Shaikh, both of whom were included in the "Top 1000 Most Influential" list by The Evening Standard in 2014 and 2015. The two went into business and opened their first site, The Old Queen's Head, in 2006, followed by Paradise by way of Kensal Green, Love and Liquor in Kilburn, and XOYO. The Columbo Group launched The Nest in Dalston on October 14, 2010.
In January 2014 the group purchased The Cat and Mutton on Broadway Market and Bar Music Hall in Shoreditch. The latter was transformed into a second site for the groups Blues Kitchen concept in April 2014.
The purchase of Electric Social in Brixton was announced by the group in April 2015. It reopened as the third Blues Kitchen outpost in October 2015. The Blues Kitchen went on to win the ALMR, Dusk 'Till Dawn award for 'Best Food Offer 2015' that same month.
Well-known Brixton club Plan B was acquired by the group in July 2015 and relaunched as nightclub Phonox.
MAMA & Company’s former venue, The Jazz Cafe, was sold to The Columbo Group in January 2016, and reopened following refurbishment on May 24, 2016.
It was reported in June 2016 that The Columbo Group have obtained ownership of The Barfly. The venue was relaunched on September 14th, 2016 as The Camden Assembly.
Sunfall Festival, held July 9th, 2016 at Brockwell Park to a sold-out crowd of 11,000, marked the launch of the groups first owned and operated festival. The 2016 line-up included performances by Jamie XX, Goldie, Joy Orbison, Kamasi Washington, Mind Against, and Zomby. The festival received positive reviews and announcements have been made for a 2017 follow-up.
GQ spotlighted the group's expanding portfolio in their December 2016 issue with a feature column on the launch of The Camden Assembly. Circulated intentionally, the magazine details the £1 million refurbishment of the venue, it's eclectic program curation and inciting a London nightlife revival.