Shelter Hall - which launched within a former music hall on Brighton seafront in 2020 - becomes the food hall operator’s fifth site and its first outside London.
The multi-million-pound deal marks the end of Sessions - which has billed itself as being ‘a record label, but for food’ - being a bricks-and-mortar operator.
Its other food hall, in Islington, closed last year as the group made a strategic decision to ‘move away’ from food halls and focus on its franchising business.
“We’re excited to be welcoming Brighton’s beloved Shelter Hall into the Market Halls family,” says Market Halls CFO Katie Rose.
“Dan and the team at Sessions have done a brilliant job in bringing the site to life over the past few years and we’re committed to building on those strong foundations to ensure Shelter Hall remains at the top of the food hall game for years to come.”
Sessions CEO Dan Warne added: “Selling Shelter Hall was a tough decision - it’s where our journey began, and we’ve built incredible memories. I’m hugely thankful to our wonderful team, particularly operations manager Skye Merriman, who has been instrumental in building the business.”
“However, I’m thrilled to see it find a new home with Market Halls, a business that shares our passion for outstanding hospitality and for supporting the development of great teams. This move allows Sessions to sharpen our focus towards our mission: bringing original food to more people by acquiring and scaling the UK’s most exciting brands.”