Darwin & Bear

Overview

Darwin and Bear is a vibrant, contemporary hospitality brand operating two well-established venues under a single identity, each offering a distinct guest experience while sharing a reputation for atmosphere, creativity and quality. The brand comprises a contemporary Mexican restaurant in Chesterfield and a thriving late-night venue in Uttoxeter, together delivering broad customer appeal and diversified revenue streams.

Both venues operate from prime leasehold premises in busy market towns, benefiting from professional management, robust operational systems and loyal customer bases. Each location has strong branding, high-quality fit-outs and active local marketing.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a buyer seeking a turnkey, multi-site hospitality investment with real scope for growth. The business is available as a whole, or individual sites may be purchased by separate negotiation.

Business Highlights

- Two established venues trading under a single, recognised brand
- Combined annual turnover of around £444,000 across both sites
- Fully manager-run, with dedicated front-of-house and back-of-house teams in place
- Diversified income from restaurant service, late-night events, private hire and group bookings
- Modern, high-quality fit-outs at both locations, ready for continued trade
- Prime central positions in two prominent market towns
- Strong online presence, active social media and consistently strong reviews
- Turnkey operation with established procedures, systems and supplier accounts

The Business

Darwin and Bear is a dynamic, independently owned hospitality brand made up of two established venues. The Chesterfield site operates as a contemporary Mexican restaurant offering creative cuisine and a vibrant dining experience. It combines a stylish interior, an open-plan kitchen and flexible seating suitable for group or intimate dining. Themed nights, bottomless brunches and a dedicated takeaway service broaden its appeal, with a fresh, authentic Mexican menu catering for all dietary needs.

The Uttoxeter site operates as the leading late-night venue in the town, renowned for its buzzing events calendar, energetic DJ sets and strong community presence. It features a large dance floor, a well-appointed bar, professional lighting and sound systems, and robust security. The venue is in high demand for private parties, corporate events and themed nights, generating significant weekend and event-driven trade.

Both venues are fully manager-run with established teams, benefiting from consistent annual revenues and diversified income streams. Strong branding, quality fit-outs and loyal followings across two distinct markets make the business defensible and well-positioned.

Location

The restaurant is located in the heart of Chesterfield's town centre in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, benefiting from excellent footfall and a prime central position. The late-night venue is located at the heart of Uttoxeter's town centre in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, with prominent street frontage and a prime position within the local nightlife scene. Both premises sit in prominent market towns that attract steady local and visitor footfall.

Premises & Tenure

Both venues are held on a leasehold basis. The Chesterfield premises feature a modern, colourful fit-out with a fully equipped commercial kitchen, ready for continued trade. The Uttoxeter premises feature modern bar and lounge areas, a dedicated dance floor, and advanced sound, lighting and security systems, professionally maintained and fully operational with prominent street frontage. All fixtures and fittings are included in the sale, along with EPOS and till systems, security installations, and sound and lighting equipment at the relevant locations.

Financial Overview

The following figures are based on the most recent full-year accounts, with full financial information available on request.

- Chesterfield: annual turnover of £176,178, with adjusted net profit of £895
- Uttoxeter: annual turnover of £267,946, with adjusted net profit of £43,629
- Combined annual turnover of around £444,000 across both venues

Growth Potential

There is significant scope to build on the existing success at both sites:

- Increase marketing through expanded local online campaigns, influencer partnerships and deeper community engagement
- Grow event and private hire revenue with more regular themed nights, brunches and exclusive booking packages
- Develop menus and service with new dishes, drinks and promotions to increase customer spend and repeat visits
- Maximise operational synergy through dual-site ownership, including greater purchasing power, cross-promotions and staff sharing during busy periods
- Extend revenue by adding daytime trade, seasonal pop-ups or partner events

Reason for Sale

The business is offered to market by the current owner, who will provide a full handover to a new proprietor.

Next Steps

Darwin and Bear represents an exceptional opportunity to acquire a well-established, manager-run, multi-site hospitality brand with a strong identity, loyal customer bases and diversified revenue streams across two prominent market town locations. With modern fit-outs, established teams and clear growth opportunities, it is offered as a turnkey investment, available as a whole or with individual sites by separate negotiation. To arrange a viewing or discuss the opportunity in more detail, please contact Goodwins Business Brokers. Full details are available in the Information Memorandum.