Gardner is founding partner at Bacchants Consulting, a management consultancy he founded in 2021, working predominantly within the English wine sector. He brings over 25 years of on-trade experience, having previously been managing director at Corney & Barrow Bars, before co-founding Hush Heath Inns in 2017, a joint venture pub with rooms business alongside Enterprise Inns (now Stonegate).
The arrangement builds on Lolly’s established strength serving multi-site operators across corporate catering. Working alongside Lolly’s leadership team, Gardner will help the business apply that same depth of expertise more widely across the premium bars, restaurants and pub group space.
“Lolly already works with leading Corporate Caterers who are, in effect, running bars and restaurants day to day, and does it well. What’s exciting about working with Lolly in this way is taking that expertise and applying it across the wider Hospitality sector,” he says.
“Multi-site operators need suppliers who can give them visibility and control across every part of the P&L, particularly as pressure on overheads increases. When you’re operating multiple sites, stock, margins and cash control all need to be tightly managed, and that’s where the right technology partner makes a real difference.”
“The line between pubs, bars and restaurants has blurred considerably over the last 20 years, food and drink are no longer separate propositions, they go hand in hand. What hasn’t changed is that service and human interaction remain central to what makes a great hospitality experience. Technology’s role is to support that from behind the scenes, not replace it.”
Peter Moore, CEO at Lolly, adds: “Ed’s experience across bars, restaurants and pub groups adds real depth to what we already do well with multi-site corporate catering operators. Bringing him in as a consultant is about building on that strength, and we’re looking forward to what we can achieve together.”