"Robert Bourne - Bourne Capital"

A review of Bourne Capital by Nial Davies written on Friday 15th of August 2008

After qualifying as a chartered accountant in 1973, Robert Bourne worked for Mark McCormack’s International Management Group (IMG) for four years. He left IMG to co-found Local London Group, the serviced office company which he went on to float in 1986 and sell in 1989 for £120 million.

Recent years

After selling Local London, Robert Bourne established Bourne Capital, and began building up an extensive property portfolio in London. He now has four major estates in Queensway, Waterloo, Chinatown and Islington. Robert Bourne also operates a number of successful high-profile leisure businesses, some within his estates. These include Queens Ice & Bowl on his Queensway estate, restaurants and bars such as the Cheyne Walk Brasserie, Waterloo Brasserie, and Ronnie Scott’s the iconic jazz club.

Robert Bourne also retains a substantial interest in the serviced office sector on his Waterloo estate.

Through charitable trusts, he and his wife operate the Old Vic and Criterion Theatre and he is redeveloping the Collins Music Hall in Islington into a state of the art theatre complex. Robert Bourne and his wife were also responsible for restoring the Richmond Theatre and forming it into a charitable trust.

Robert Bourne also owns two of London’s major markets, Chinatown and Queensway, and is a champion of the importance of markets to London, both to the tourist trade and as an economical way for new entrepreneurs to get a foothold on the business ladder.

More recently, Robert Bourne established an International Division which includes two prestigious hotels in France, in Courchevel and St Tropez.

Robert Bourne sits on the board of 52 companies and charities.

Ronnie Scott’s

In June 2005 Robert Bourne bought with his wife Sally Greene, iconic jazz club Ronnie Scott’s for a reported £3 million, installing former co-owner Pete King as Lifetime President. Jazz enthusiasts welcomed their involvement, crediting them as the club’s ‘saviours’. It went through substantial renovations under the direction of famous Parisian designer Jacques Garcia and since reopening in June 2006 it has successfully attracted major names in the world jazz such as Wynton Marsalis, Chick Corea, David Sanborn, Kenny Garrett, and Billy Cobham.

Millennium Dome

In 2001 Robert Bourne led a consortium of high-profile investors in a bid to buy the Millennium Dome from the Government. The Legacy consortium bid £125m for the Dome, planning to turn it into a high-tech “Knowledge City”. [1]

Philanthropic activity

With his wife Sally Greene, Robert Bourne is one of the UK’s leading patrons of the dramatic arts, donating to a number of London theatres and protecting their futures by forming charitable trusts, and restoring and managing them. With his commercial experience and their combined knowledge of the theatre sector, the pair are able to privately raise money to restore the theatres and run them as successful businesses, often involving high-profile celebrities to lead their creative direction.

Richmond Theatre

Robert Bourne’s first success was the restoration of the Richmond Theatre in 1985, which achieved charitable status in 1987. By 1989 the Richmond Theatre had been completely restored and, once secure, the Trust sold it to ATG.

The Criterion Theatre

In 1989 Robert Bourne and his wife bought The Criterion Theatre, which had become dilapidated and in urgent need of a new lease of life. Under their direction a charitable trust was set up to protect the theatre and a three-year refurbishment was carried out. The Criterion reopened on September 20th 1992 with ‘Taking Sides’ by Ronald Harwood.

The Old Vic

In 1998 The Old Vic was in decline and faced threats of becoming a lap dancing club. [2] After public outcry and a plea from the Culture Secretary, Chris Smith MP for a patron to step forward and purchase the theatre. Robert Bourne and Sally Greene set up The Old Vic Theatre Trust, acquired the theatre, and secured its position as an iconic London landmark. In 2003 Robert Bourne and his wife persuaded Oscar-winning American actor Kevin Spacey to take on the role as artistic director, [3] and the theatre has never looked back.

RADA

Robert Bourne is an Associate Member of RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art)..

NOTE: Reviews are submitted by visitors of our site. The contents of this page are in no way representative of the entity being reviewed, Bourne Capital, and are merely third party opinions. London Online accepts no liability in respect of any material submitted by visitors and published by us and we are not responsible for its content and accuracy. For further details, see our Terms & Conditions.