EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Renegade Venues Ltd, a new collaboration between entrepreneurs Eóin Bloor and Tom Parks, has obtained lease exclusivity for the site of G-A-Y Bar until 30th June. We are seeking a £4m EIS-qualifying investment to transform it into a new 400 capacity brasserie, bar and live performance space.
£250k allocated from Director’s own funds to seed the venture and fund it to date.
8-month, £1.6m refurbishment lead by 2023 European Restaurant and Bar Design
Award winner Grapes Design, planned from August 2025 to January 2026.
Target market is ‘the Soho crowd’ –theatre goers, creatives, performers, hedonists and
queer people. Whilst not explicitly a gay venue, it will be fabulous and queer-aligned.
Aims to do trade at all times of day –workspace, pre-theatre, lunch, dinner and late services, after-work parties and late-night performances.
Launch in February 2026 to minimize load on wholly new operation.
400 capacity 1am license with aim to extend to 3:00am. In April 2025, Sadiq Khan was awarded new veto powers to overturn council license decisions, to revive Soho.
Lease negotiations underway with Soho Estates alongside measured, structural and electrical surveys, concept design work and Class 3 construction estimates.
Forecast Med-case profits of £1.4m on revenues of £7.7m (net of VAT & Tronc) with a peak occupancy of 50% in December Y3-Y5.
TEAM
Renegade Venues has assembled a team of expert advisors and respected vendors to make Backstage a success. An experienced Group General Manager has been sourced from a highly successful venue operating within 50m of our site.
Director
TOM PARKS
Entrepreneur, Soho aficionado and theatre fan, Tom founded a consumer credit company aged 21 and grew this from a student bedroom to over 100,000 customers, winning Alternative Lender of the Year. He is a trained Structural Engineer.
Director
EÓIN BLOOR
Founded the DV8 club night and grew it into the UK’s largest independent national drum ‘n’ bass club night. The DV8 brand is the resident Friday night at Fire in Vauxhall and the DV8 Bass Face brand has residences in major UK cities.
Program
NATHAN POPE
An experienced hospitality operator and trained musical theatre performer, Nathan was Operations Director at Soho Bars where he ran their event program, creating the hugely popular Kinky Kabaret night running 2009- present.
Creative
MATT JOLLEY
With a career in nightlife spanning 25 years, Matt was Global Brand Director for Mahiki,, launching sites across the Middle East and Europe. Now co-owner of Monty’s, the celebrated cocktail lounge and restaurant in Marlow.
ADVISORS
Interior Design
Darren Grapes (Grapes Design)
Accountants
Matthew Davis (Brebners)
Bookkeeping and MI platform
Matt Taylor (Solutions4caterers)
Licensing Law
Jake Spiegler (Thomas & Thomas)
IP Law
Samuel O’Toole (Briffa)
Property Law
James Daglish (Keystone Law)
Corporate Law
Ted Dewhurst (Keystone Law)
Safety and Licensing
Alan Lynagh (Westminster Council) Steve Muldoon (Met. Police)
Mentorship and Guidance
Joseph-James Picknell (Fresh Group)
CONCEPT
Our concept deck presents our venue concept of a backstage press night afterparty –behind the red ropes and the star-marked doors. Unapologetically dramatic, the show must go on!
MIXED-USE
Our vision is a dynamic mixed-use venue that transitions seamlessly from a daytime workspace to a vibrant nightlife destination, supported by an all-day restaurant.
BY DAY
A daytime workspace and lunch spot – a relaxed environment with casual seating for freelancers, entrepreneurs, and creatives, supported with coffee, small plates and juices, with a more formal brasserie setting for lunch and up to two pre-theatre services a day.
BY NIGHT
An evening bar, performance space and lounge. After work, we transform into a high- energy bar, live performance space, and nightclub, offering a curated entertainment experience, supported by our brasserie experience upstairs long into the night.
POSITIONING –AN UPMARKET CONCEPT AT AN ACCESSIBLE PRICE
It is important to us that Soho is accessible –but a strict door policy and familiar hosts will ensure the right guest list. Backstage Soho will be positioned alongside Old Compton Brasserie and Soho House, at an affordable price point offering good value.
REFURBISHMENT
Grapes Design, European Restaurant and Bar Design Award Winners 2023, are known for creating exciting, immersive interiors, and were responsible for nearby venues Old Compton Brasserie and Chateau Denmark.
A £1.6m budget has been modelled consisting of £2500/m2 plus £50k for exterior work, £100k for kitchen and £100k for interior design and construction supervision.
Initial concept drawings and layouts have been delivered and available under NDA.
Grapes Design will, in the next 6 weeks, provide drawings to obtain Level 3
construction estimates from a Quantity Surveyor or contractor.
Significant electrical work is expected and a full measured survey alongside structural and electrical surveys have been conducted or commissioned. 8 months of rent and rates prior to opening have been forecasted to facilitate the renovation, alongside 8 months salary for Tom Parks to supervise, hire and set up the operation. We have refused pressure to open for a busy Q4. As a first-time operator in a wholly new venue, with a wholly new team, operating a complex space, we believe that opening in the quiet period of Q1 2026 to be a safer option. This strategy should also secure a construction partner during the down period on favourable terms.
TARGET MARKET
Backstage Soho isn’t just for the gay crowd –it’s for the Soho crowd: theatre goers, creatives, performers, hedonists and of course the LGBTQ+ (and all their accessories!) A fabulous, queer-aligned space where all are welcome, and where Soho workers and pre-theatre parties are comfortable during the day before the music turns up. Soho’s best venues are no longer gay spaces, but those that attract queer people through their quality, location, value and atmosphere.
PRIMARY AUDIENCE
Demographic: Young professionals and creatives, typically aged 25-40, with
disposable income and a penchant for unique social experiences.
Preferences: Seek venues offering a blend of entertainment, such as live
performances, DJ sets, and thematic events, in `an inclusive environment.
LGBTQ+ Community: Values safe, welcoming spaces that celebrate diversity and foster a sense of community.
SECONDARY AUDIENCE
Private Events: Companies and individuals looking for venues to host private parties, corporate events, or celebrations.
Theatre-Goers: Patrons attending nearby West End shows, seeking pre- or post- theatre dining and entertainment options.
Tourists: Visitors eager to experience London venues that offer authentic and memorable experiences.
FINANCIAL MODEL
Tom Parks has prepared the financial model with feedback provided by Brebner’s accountants and Mike Bank, a former Old Compton St restauranteur, using comparable input data from Old Compton Brasserie and others.