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Walkabout is an Australian themed pub and restaurant chain in the United Kingdom owned by Intertain UK.
Walkabout employs 821 employees and its head office is based in Hemel Hempstead.
History
The first Walkabout bar was opened in 1994. Since the first opening, Walkabout has continued to expand its estate, throughout the UK. In the two years to 2003 the number of Walkabouts had doubled in size, with 47 pubs across the UK.
In 2009 Walkabout's parent company went into administration. A number of unprofitable sites were closed and the company refinanced itself.
In the 2010s Walkabout came under pressure by boroughs keen to clean up and gentrify their high streets. Its iconic Covent Garden branch, which was the first to open in the mid '90s, was closed in March 2013 with the company saying the site was too small. There were 30 Walkabouts left operating at this time. Shepherd's Bush Walkabout, one of their best known branches, closed in October 2013, leaving only one branch of Walkabout left in London.
Commencing in 2013, Walkabout embarked on a refurbishment programme across the estate, with the following sites being refurbished; Derby, Carlisle, Lincoln and Blackpool. They have moved away from the 1990s 'outback' style fit out and closer to a modern venue. Following a hiatus in the refurbishment programme works began in earnest in 2015 starting in March with Walkabout Bristol, followed by Sheffield and Newquay. Also the first new Walkabout for 6 years opened in Brighton (in the former Walkabout site); other new venues popped up in Solihull and Lichfield (following the purchase of two former Apres sites). 2015 finished with the opening of a brand new Walkabout in Manchester's Printworks just before Christmas.
2016 began with the refurbishment of the iconic Walkabout Birmingham on Broad St.
Throughout the year, Walkabout’s journey continued to evolve with the refurbishment of many existing venues now functioning as new concept Walkabouts. They also have continued to acquire a variety of new sites across the UK.
The most recent opening was in Chelmsford, where the site transitioned from an old Wetherspoons to an exciting new Walkabout bar in under three weeks.
As well as growth across the country, Walkabout has also evolved through innovation. From collaborations with Pieminister and Kilner, to developments in their food offering and stadium seating being added to the Reading venue for watching sports.