Industry Hospitality Area served England and Wales Website Stonegate Pub Company Founded 1997 Areas served England, Wales | Founder Wolverhampton & Dudley Products 23 student themed pubs Headquarters Luton, United Kingdom Type of business Brand | |
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Owner Stonegate Pub Company (2013–)
Wolverhampton & Dudley (c.1997–2001) | ||
Varsity is a student-focused pub chain operating in the United Kingdom. The name originates from annual university sports competitions.
Contents
History
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.
Wolverhampton & Dudley
Varsity was founded by Wolverhampton & Dudley.
Barracuda Group
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.
In June 2005, the Barracuda Group was sold for £262 million to Charterhouse Capital Partners. In August 2006 there were 36 Varsity bars.
In October 2012, Barracuda was renamed The Bramwell Pub Company.
The Stonegate Pub Company
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.
Operation
It operates the V Card, one of the first loyalty cards, which allows a cheaper price for some drinks, and allows better offers on some of the food deals.
The website is now conducted all through Facebook. It serves food most of the day, concentrating on bowls of chips with dips, and a range of hot baguettes with chips.