One of the North East’s best known restaurants is set for investment after being acquired by the owners of high profile gaming business Double Eleven.
SIX Restaurant, the top floor eatery at Baltic centre for contemporary art, has been snapped up in an undisclosed deal by Pneuma Group, parent firm of the award-winning Middlesbrough games developers, which has hinted that more deals could be on the horizon. SIX is set to continue to focus its menu on modern British cuisine, made with sustainably sourced local produce.
The deal includes significant investment into the décor at the venue, based on the top floor of the contemporary gallery building, and refurbishments will be unveiled to SIX visitors in the new year. New jobs are also set to be created.
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Greg Lambert, food director of subsidiary company Pneuma Hospitality, added: “SIX is known for offering the highest quality food and produce in a unique venue and we will continue to champion local, organic produce and seek out the best local suppliers. We’re also investing in staff and to demonstrate this have adopted the Real Living Wage as the new minimum wage standard from September this year.”
Keith Nicholson, managing director of Pneuma Group, added: “We are delighted to add the flagship SIX restaurant to the group’s portfolio as we continue to invest in exciting businesses and offer high quality services.”
“The acquisition of the prestigious SIX restaurant marks a new chapter in the development of Pneuma Group’s ambitions to invest to improve the built environment of the region and create an even better and more successful place for people to live, work and play.”
Middlesbrough-based Pneuma Group’s CEO is Lee Hutchinson, a former Teesside Business Executive of the Year as founder and CEO of Double Eleven, which was the winner of the fastest-growing large business of the year award at last month’s unveiling of the North East Fastest 50. It also took home four trophies at the 2021 North East Business Awards including the overall company of the Year award.
The Pneuma Group is made up of a range of companies including Pneuma Hospitality Group, Pneuma Property Group, Pneuma Commercial Cleaning and Pneuma Commercial Security. Mr Hutchinson said the group has ambitions to "revitalise the region through targeted investments and acquisitions” and that it is passionate in its commitment to improving quality of life and employment prospects in the area.
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He said: “Pneuma Group was set up to invest in places and businesses to safeguard and enhance the impact of Double Eleven over the long term.
“Acquiring SIX is part of that strategy, as one of the things we’ve come to appreciate is that Double Eleven benefits when Middlesbrough and the wider North East is thriving.
“Pneuma Group is named after an ancient Greek word for ‘breath’ which perfectly describes our ambition to breathe life and soul into the area and be a lasting part of a positive legacy.”