Ex-Leon staffers seeks £2m to expand Pint Shop: Pint Shop, the award-winning Cambridge-based concept specialising in British meat and beer, is seeking £2 million investment from leading hospitality figures as it looks to expand to a second site in London. This is part of a comprehensive growth plan, with Pint Shop aiming to have a presence in all the big southern cities, and one northern location, within the next five years. The original site was the first new licence to be granted in Cambridge city centre for many years. Industry sources reports that the site sold 150,000 pints of beer in its first year and has achieved turnover per week of circa £40,000. Richard Holmes and Benny Peverelli, who are co-owners of Pint Shop and previously worked as general manager and executive chef at healthy food brand Leon respectively, originally approached their existing investors, raising over £600,000 in just one day. They are now looking for new investors, with the money raised due to be used to fund their flagship London site, scheduled for opening this year, as well as a second site in another UK city. Holmes said: “Our growth plans for 2015 are ambitious which is why it is crucial that we have the right funding in place. We’re lucky to have already received investment from a number of renowned industry figures, including Steve Wilkins, founder of Little Gems Country Dining, and we value the advice and support they have provided us with. With this in mind, we’ve decided to approach the hospitality sector directly again for investment, rather than turn to VCs or crowd-funding. We think we offer an exciting opportunity for those looking to support a growing bar and restaurant business that offers something different. We enjoyed superb sales and critical acclaim last year and fully intend to build on this in 2015.” Pint Shop, based on Peas Hill, Cambridge, specialises in meat, bread and beer, and took its inspiration from the beer houses of the 1830s. As well as specially sourced beers from smaller breweries, Pint Shop offers 60 gin options, including a pea based gin handmade exclusively for the site (as it is based on Peas Hill). It prides itself on the balance between food and drink at the venue, with both complementing each other perfectly to ensure customers enjoy a quality, flavoursome experience whether they are having a full meal, a snack, or just a pint.