London calling for Leeds bar – and eatery – Mojo

LEEDS bar Mojo is attempting to break the London market, as well as grow exponentially in the coming years.

19 years after it was launched, Mojo has branches across the Pennines and plans for expansion, even attempting to break the market in the capital.

Co-director Martin Greenhow, with founder Mal Evans and area manager Sam Fish, brought the group to where it is today, and they have been far from complacent despite the longevity and success of Mojo. The firm has continued to grow, increasing turnover 50% on 2 years ago at their Leeds site.

They have benefited from the changing landscape in North Leeds. The Tour de France pushed the council into implementing the pedestrianisation of Merrion Street (which is officially set for October)

Martin said: “Merrion Street has changed the dynamic of the city. Previously everything was centred around Call Lane, and this has rebalanced the city, bringing Shuffledog, The Brotherhood and The Pit to the area, as well as staples like Belgrave.

“It’s been a bit of a perfect storm, before these bars and restaurants started popping up, we were ploughing a lonely furrow for a long while here, with only places like North Bar for company.”

Now they are adapting to this new landscape, launching as an American style dive bar, with a “no quinoa” rule and a manageable menu to fit in with the brand.

Martin said: “This isn’t the first time Mojo has done food, but we’ve never got it right in the past. It wasn’t where our skill set lay.

“We’re maturing and we have a maturing clientele as well, we wanted to make Mojo more ‘family-friendly’ and catch some of the daytime trade.”

Mojo has other branches in Manchester and Liverpool, with plans to expand elsewhere, but their food offering will tested on the people of Leeds first.

“We want people to know we’re here all day, the restaurant sector and daytime trade is an opportunity to be exploited, especially now the area is busier than ever. You have to know and adapt to the city you’re in, which is why the “flatpack” restaurant model wouldn’t work for us.
“This won’t be a flatpack, fast-food or franchise expansion though, there’s a reason places like Hard Rock Cafe don’t work in Leeds. Our business is about people, getting the right skill set, the right attitude and topping it off with training.”

This perspective will do well for the firm as it plans to expand into the capital. Martin said: “It’s a completely different challenge ,and, unlike our other venues, it’s not across the M62. “We’ll need keep our brand in check by bringing general managers from up North down to site, so the same experience is delivered as it is in Leeds.

“We have a sizeable fan base in London, from people who have come to work or study in Leeds and then move home or into jobs there.”

But it’s not just London on the cards, as the firm is looking for another six sites, potentially in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Sheffield and Birmingham as well as additional London branches if the Southern experiment is a success.