“I was an Australian Actor"
My Story: I started as a Bar Tender in TGI’s on an apprenticeship scheme. Two years after that I set
up my first bar and restaurant consultancy company. I went on to open my own bar and form a
company which created two restaurant brands, since then I have enjoyed building up and selling
restaurant concepts as well as re-vitalising fledging brands. I am now Managing Director and Co-
owner of Living Ventures Restaurants Ltd.
Tim Bacon
Managing Director and Co-Founder
Australian entrepreneur and former actor Tim Bacon set up his first bar and restaurant consultancy
company, Bar Biz, in 1989, two years after first serving his apprenticeship with TGI Friday's. In 1993
he brought JW Johnson's in Manchester which was sold in 1996. He then set up Life Restaurants
and the seven-strong Via Vita chain was formed which was followed by Life Café in 1998. Via Vita
was sold to Marston, Thompson & Evershed in 1998 and the Life Café concept was in turn sold to
Whitbread in 2000.
Living Ventures Restaurants Ltd was formed in 1999 with Tim as Managing Director and The Living
Room concept was introduced to the Manchester market place in December 1999. Expanding across
the country and growing to 14 restaurants, the brand became a strong high street name. At this time
Tim also developed the Prohibition bar format in 2003. Living Ventures sold Prohibition to Ultimate
Leisure PLC in 2005 and then The Living Room in July 2007 for £28 million to the same group. In 2005
Tim brought 19 Est Est Est restaurants from TRG PLC which were re-furbished and re-branded to
eight GUSTO Restaurant and Bar’s, completed in May 2008. Alongside GUSTO Tim has also created
the Blackhouse Restaurant and Bar concept with six restaurants across the country.
Recognised within the industry as one of the leading entrepreneurs in his profession, Tim has
received numerous high profile accolades none more so than a Catey for the "Pub and Bar Industry
award" and MC Reports "Retailers Retailer of the year" award.
Tim can also count amongst personal awards the North West Entrepreneur of the year award and
Theme Magazine's "Outstanding Contribution" award. Over the past 10 years Living Ventures have
been honoured to receive well over 60 national and regional awards including most notably the
Publican's "Retail Brand" of the year, Retailers Retailer " Venue" of the and Flavour's "Retail Brand"
of the year. In December 2005, the Sunday Times Top 100 named Living Ventures the fastest-
growing company in hospitality and the company's focus on staff training and development was
recognized as they scooped the competitions prestigious Service Award.