Blackburn’s billionaire Issa brothers have today acquired the healthy fast food chain LEON for reportedly close to £100 million.
Just months after making a record-breaking £6.8 billion deal to purchase supermarket chain ASDA from US shopping giant Walmart, 70 LEON restaurants across the UK and Europe have now been sold to Mohsin and Zuber Issa to form part of their giant petrol forecourt business EG Group.
EG Group said that the acquisition is “complementary” as it seeks to expand the food side of its business, and has plans to open around 20 additional LEON sites a year from 2022.
The deal includes 42 company-owned restaurants, as well as 29 franchise sites, which are mainly found in airports and train stations across the UK – including a Manchester branch based in Manchester Piccadilly station – and a handful of European countries, such as the Netherlands and Spain.
EG Group has also committed to keeping on LEON’s management team and staff.
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EG Group is pleased to announce that it has acquired LEON Restaurants Limited, a prominent British fresh fast food restaurant chain. #EGGrouppic.twitter.com/AatDmQmtAR
Speaking about the acquisition of LEON in a joint statement, the Issa brothers said: “Leon is a fantastic brand that we have long admired.
“As established entrepreneurs in the food service retail market ourselves, we have a huge admiration for the business that John and the Leon team have built over the years, and firmly believe that their culture and values closely align with our own.”
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Mohsin and Zuber Issa started out life as entrepreneurs in a garage, which their dad – who had worked in a woollen mill – bought, before branching out on their own by first renting a petrol station for two years, then buying their first forecourt – a derelict freehold site in Bury in 2001 – and forming Euro Garages.
The EG Group now has almost 6,000 sites across 10 countries, from the UK to the US and Australia.
It runs outlets for Greggs, Starbucks and KFC, and employs 44,000 people.
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EG Groupd / Issa Brothers
LEON was founded in London in 2004 by John Vincent, Henry Dimbleby and Allegra McEvedy, with an importance placed on creating a menu of “healthy fast-food”.
Mr Vincent said that “in some ways this is a sad day for me, to part company with the business I founded 17 years ago in Carnaby Street”, but admitted he was “confident under the new ownership”.
He added that he has “had the pleasure of getting to know Mohsin and Zuber [Issa]” over the last few years.
“They have been enthusiastic customers of LEON, going out of their way to eat here whenever they visit London. They are decent, hard-working business people who are committed to sustaining and further strengthening the values and culture that we have built”.
Mr Vincent also said he is keen to watch the the brand “flourish and have even greater appeal to a broader customer base, especially outside of London”.
Featured Image – LEON
Business
Manchester streaming platform StreamGM unveils four-part creative industry careers podcast
Thomas Melia
A new four-partpodcast by StreamGM featuring some of Greater Manchester’s top creatives has launched with the aim of powering creative careers.
Produced by Rebecca Swarray, a.k.a. ‘RebeccaNeverBecky’ – the founder of the Manchester events and arts collective – this podcast is designed to “ignite and elevate creative careers in music.”
Swarray deep dives into the current Manc music scene and beyond with the help of fellow insiders who vary upon each episode.
There are four parts in this latest series and there’s lots to cover, especially in an industry that’s ever-changing and ever-challenging.
Some of the guests and speakers you can expect to listen to on ‘ICAM’ (In Conversations and Masterclasses)Credit: StreamGM/The Manc Group
Listeners can expect to learn all about ‘Women Behind The Music’ as part of the In Conversations and Masterclasses series with Sophie Bee, Sara Garvey and Kat Brown.
The next episode delves into another key music industry area, ‘Promoters, Venues And Events’, which is broken down by Baz Plug One, Strutty, Tashadean Wood and Liv McCafferty.
‘Artist Development And Management’ features Karen Boardman, Karen Gabay, Damian Morgan, and Via Culpan deep in discussion.
The final episode in this four-part series is ‘Videography And Photography In The Creative Industries’, which sees Johan Reitan, Alice Kanako and Ahmani Vidal talking all things visual.
These four features will be an incredible resource for any creative talents as it put together by professionals for upcoming professionals of any age from any background, race, gender and walk of life.
After all, that’s what is all about, right?
Abbreviated to ‘ICAM’, the podcast is certainly one to check out, with for aspiring artist managers, producers, photographers, promoters—anyone driven to make their mark in music and events.
These podcast sessions understand industry challenges, explore career journeys, creative influences, crisis management and lots more creative field concerns.
You can find the first episode in full down below:
The first episode of the new limited StreamGM podcast.
This run of shows is the second instalment by StreamGM: Greater Manchester’s phenomenal streaming platform dedicated to all things music, nightlife and culture.
Whether you’re a budding creative arts talent or just curious to find out insights into this wonderful innovative industry, you can listen to all the episodes from the series directly on StreamGM HERE.
Elsewhere in Greater Manchester music news, another very special event is kicking off very soon:
Featured Images — Publicity Picture (Supplied)/The Manc Group
Business
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
The Manc -
19th April 2021 
