Owner Richard Caring denies rumours of rift with Nick Jones
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Soho House owner Richard Caring has dismissed rumours that he intends to sell the group.
The billionaire tycoon paid £105m for 80% of the Soho House Group which includes Chiswick's High Road House in 2008. The deal, which left founder and chief executive Nick Jones with 20% of the business, saw a number of minority investors including Ant and Dec being bought out.
Recent speculation over the sale began when Caring and Jones reportedly disagreed on the group's future. Commenting on this supposed rift, Caring said: "That's pure conjecture that Nick and I don't agree. We are completely in tandem."
A five-year agreement exists between the two which includes a clause that one is then able to buy the other out, assuming certain price conditions are met, when it matures 2013.
Caring told the Standard: "Several offers have been made for Soho House. We get them all the time. My view at the moment is that we are not ready to sell. We have a very good track record."
He added, "We should be looking at the franchise route, rather than being self owned."
Caring also owns a portfolio of elite restaurants and private members’ clubs including The Ivy, Le Caprice and J Sheekey as well as Annabel’s nightclub and Wentworth golf club in Surrey.
April 5, 2011