A popular UK arcade bar group have secured a £2.5 million investment to expand to more cities - with Belfast being one of the top contenders.
NQ64, founded by Andy Haygarth and Matt Robson in 2019, has a retro gaming bar concept filled with arcade games and classic consoles and serves specially selected craft beers, themed cocktails and sodas. Started in Manchester's Northern Quarter, NQ64 now has nine locations across the UK including London, Edinburgh and Cardiff.
The group has received £2.5 million in growth capital from alternative lender ThinCats to accelerate expansion plans to 11 cities, as reported by BigHospitality.
Read more: NI spot named one of the best waterside bars in the UK
NQ64, which is already backed by Imbiba, are hoping to bring their unique drinking experience to Belfast alongside Leeds, Birmingham, Bristol, Bath, Nottingham, Reading, Sheffield, Aberdeen, Brighton and London.
Founder Andy Haygarth said: "We have had a great team that has enabled us to open the first nine NQ64s, in a relatively short time.
"We are really excited about the next phase of growth. With the backing of Imbiba and our new partnership with ThinCats, we are looking forward to bringing our neon splattered drinking dens to a host of new guests. We generally now invest between £500,000 and £1m into the build of a new site."
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