The last remaining Revolution bar in Reading town centre is at risk as its operating company is set to go into administration.
The Revel Collective, previously known as the Revolution Bars Group, is due to go into administration in the coming days, putting 2,200 jobs at risk.
The news published yesterday (Monday, January 26) comes after the company was put up for sale last October.
National reporting indicates the business was unsuccessful in attracting buyers.
The company stated: “Since the transactions being contemplated are not expected to deliver any return to shareholders, the board has resolved to take action to protect creditors.
“Unless circumstances change, and in accordance with statutory requirements, the board intends to appoint administrators within 10 business days.
“The business will continue to trade and the company will continue to work alongside advisers in order to preserve as much value as possible for all stakeholders as it advances a potential sale of all or parts of the business.”
The company had two sites in Reading for years.
The Revolution bar in Station Road closed with seven other sites in January 2024.
That was despite this bar receiving a £ 250,000-plus upgrade in November 2022.
The bar was replaced by the Boom Battle Bar entertainment venue, which opened in June last year.
The Boom Battle Bar serves food, alcoholic and soft drinks and activities such as interactive darts, shuffleboard, beer pong and more.
The closure left Revolución de Cuba in Friar Street as its sole site in Reading.
Revolución de Cuba is a Latin American-themed cocktail bar run by the same company.
It has a reputation for hosting salsa classes on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, but that could end if administrators choose to close the bar.
The days of Revolución de Cuba have been numbered for years as the building it occupies is set to be demolished and replaced with a 163-bed hotel.
The project is being pursued by Thackeray Estates, which involves the demolition of Revolución de Cuba and an Asian food store with a Leonardo Hotel.
This new hotel building would incorporate The Bugle pub, which was added to the local list of heritage assets in July 2022.
All of this is being done as part of Thackeray Estates QVS1 +2 project, which was approved by Reading Borough Council’s planning applications committee in December 2022.
You can view the approved application for the building Revolución de Cuba is based in by typing reference PL/22/1235 into the council’s planning portal.
The management company of Revolución de Cuba won permission to stay open until 2am from Thursday to Saturday from the council’s licensing department.
This was granted in January 2024.
Revolution has been contacted for a comment.
