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Vagabond registered a 16.3% increase in like-for-like sales during the six weeks to 23rd December 2024, with all nine of its locations across London and Birmingham reporting strong growth in sales and visitor numbers. The business hosted more corporate Christmas events than ever before, as groups celebrated the holidays in style by enjoying Vagabond’s premium food and drink party packages.
Food sales also grew strongly, rising 26.2%, buoyed by the addition of Vagabond’s popular new cheese fondue sharing platter to its winter menu. Vagabond served up more than 1,000 fondues every week throughout December alone.
Following its positive end to 2024, Vagabond has kicked off 2025 unveiling plans for an extensive refurbishment of its Battersea Power Station bar. The revamp forms part of Vagabond’s broader growth strategy to open new wine bars and invest in its existing estate.
Vagabond Battersea will retain its open kitchen, serving up small and sharing plates perfect for lunch, afternoon snacks and dinner, as well as its signature wine machines, offering an eclectic choice of more than 100 wines for guests to self-pour and explore.
The renovations will include the removal of Vagabond’s Urban Winery, which will be relocated to a new site in London later this year. The move allows Vagabond to increase covers in its Battersea venue from 112 to 156. The bar closed its doors from Sunday 26th January for the New Year refresh and is set to welcome back guests from Friday 28th February.
The investment in its Battersea Power Station site forms a key part of Vagabond’s growth plans under new owner Majestic. The UK’s largest specialist wine retailer acquired Vagabond in April 2024, securing the futures of nine wine bars and 171 jobs. Majestic plans to invest in Vagabond’s long-term future, including opening new wine bars, growing the brand’s customer base and furthering the wine education of its expert teams.
Christobell Giles, Managing Director at Vagabond, said: “I am incredibly proud of the entire Vagabond team for delivering a record-breaking Christmas. We took more Christmas party bookings than ever before in a challenging hospitality market and introduced hundreds of new guests to our eclectic mix of wines and expert teams for the first time.
“We’re taking strong trading momentum and exciting growth plans into 2025, starting with the refurbishment of Vagabond Battersea. This is a significant investment in one of our most popular bars, underlining the confidence that we and our owners Majestic have in the future of experiential hospitality venues.”