Jeremy Roberts – Chair
Tim Bacon and I first joined forces in business in 1996 and set up Life Restaurants. We developed the Via Vita cafe bar – A Mediterranean concept all blues and oranges, very nineties and I think we started that trend for which we are eternally sorry! This was a joint venture with Marstons our first investors who then after a whirlwind 2 years decided to buy us out of the business. So begun our habit for building businesses.
Our business model enabled Tim and I to assist the various investors we have and to direct the teams in each of the businesses whilst allowing them the autonomy needed to allow them to grow these businesses and to attract new investors themselves. The Living Room, New World Trading, and latterly GUSTO, The Alchemist and Australasia to name but a few.
It’s great fun and I can safely say I am still living the original dream Tim and I had for Living Ventures all those years ago!
Sadly, Tim succumbed to cancer in April 2016 and I lost not only my business partner but also my best friend. One of my proudest achievements in business is having worked with him and continued that partnership for over twenty years.
I’m also very proud to have established the Tim Bacon Foundation in Tim’s memory – as Tim was always fond of saying.
Onwards and Upwards