In two years, CEO Mark McQuater closed every vodka bar in the student chain, reopening them with a new brand, products and a place on the stock market. He tells us how he did it
Once famous as a student hangout for those after a cheap vodka-fuelled night out, in the space of two years bar chain Revolution has undergone just that.
In 2013, the firm drafted in a new CEO and from then on temporarily closed a bar every fortnight. At each one, they retrained all staff, often hired a new general manager and put it through a redesign using paints and fabrics to lighten the venues; all powered by a £200,000 cash injection. With the new look bars now all open for business, the chain has moved upmarket and currently boasts 60 spacious bars offering a range of food and a complex cocktail menu.
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