Family run City wine bar company Balls Brothers has bought City gastro bar group Lewis & Clarke, which operates seven sites in and around the City of London including The Sterling on the ground floor of the “Gherkin” building (30 St Mary Axe).

The Lewis & Clarke sites, all of which trade under individual names, will continue to trade in their existing format under the control of Balls Brothers Chief Executive Richard Balls. Balls Brothers currently operates seventeen bars and restaurants in the City and West End of London. The acquisition brings the group total to 24 units with a total revenue of £23 million.

Specialist M&A advisor to the leisure industry Coffer Corporate Leisure (CCL) advised Balls Brothers on the acquisition. Trevor Watson, who handled the negotiations, said “By strategically acquiring this high quality group of gastro bars in prime City locations, Balls Brothers has strengthened its standing as the foremost operator of City bars.”