Cribbs Continues to Expand Dining Offering with Loungers Letting

The South West’s leading retail and leisure destination Cribbs has announced that Loungers is set to arrive as the shopping centre continues to diversify its F&B line-up.

The nationwide bar and dining chain, which launched in Bristol in 2002, has signed a 15-year lease for the 4,600 sq ft former Pizza Hut space to bring its Picaro Lounge concept to the heart of Cribbs Mall’s food court.

From its first location in Bedminster, Bristol, Loungers has grown to over 250 destinations nationwide which bring people together over its array of delicious food in a relaxed welcoming environment.

Renowned for its leisurely brunch offerings and evening drinks experience, Loungers has built a strong following among younger audiences making it the perfect new occupier for Cribbs as it continues to evolve its dining offering to cater for its growing Gen Z audience, which rose by 13% over 2025.

Last week Cribbs announced Joe & The Juice is set to arrive after it welcomed both Pizza Express and Honest Burgers to the shopping centre in recent weeks, whilst Wingstop will be joining the Cribbs Venue line-up later this year.

These new arrivals join favourites Wagamama, Nando’s, Chopstix, Itsu, Patisserie Valerie, and Slim Chickens to cement Cribbs’ position as the South West’s leading retail and leisure destination which offers visitors a full day out experience.

Picaro Lounge will also benefit from the growing residential community across the Cribbs Causeway area with the Brabazon development set to deliver 6,500 homes and 2,000 student rooms. Meanwhile, the 19,500-capacity arena at the site, which is set to open in 2028, and will see many eventgoers choose Cribbs for pre-concert meals and drinks.

Katie Searle, Director, Asset Management, at Sovereign Centros by CBRE, said: “The arrival of Picaro Lounge continues our transformation of the dining offering at Cribbs to ensure it suits the needs of our visitors. Schemes such as Cribbs are no longer purely retail destinations as they now need to offer a full day out experience which requires a strong dining and leisure offering. At Cribbs we have led the way in the South West by continuing to innovate our offering by bringing in leading UK and international F&B operators to ensure visitors enjoy a diverse dining offer.

“Picaro Lounge is a great addition to this line-up as it has become one of UK hospitality’s most recent success stories and it is fitting that its latest location is a return to its roots in Bristol. Picaro Lounge is a perfect fit for our audience and we look forward to seeing them thrive at Cribbs over the coming years.”

Alex Kalebic, Head of Acquisitions, Loungers says: “We’re hugely excited to be opening Picaro Lounge at Cribbs Mall – a fantastic regional destination right on the doorstep of our Bristol heartland, where we already have eight thriving Loungers. Due to open this summer, Picaro Lounge will be our second location within a covered scheme in the UK.

“Cribbs Mall has been on our radar for a long time, and it’s been a pleasure working with the team to bring our all-day, family-friendly Lounge offer to the scheme.  We’re looking forward to elevating the F&B line-up and becoming a welcoming community hub for visitors and locals alike.”