London-based bar operator Alphabet Bars has acquired a stake in StepChange Bars & Restaurants, owner of The Cuban group of restaurants and cocktail bars.

The undisclosed deal will see Alphabet acquire a significant stake in StepChange, which currently operates six sites in the South East.

Mark Draper, a director for Alphabet, said: “As we continue to develop our core bar-restaurant brands, we are pleased to find acquisition opportunities to accelerate our growth. The Cuban brand is an excellent opportunity to increase our presence in key UK locations where a non-traditional high street offering is found most welcome.”

Alphabet’s current bar restaurant portfolio is estimated at £9m and includes ViVO in Soho and the Fire Station in Hammersmith, which will shortly be undergoing a £550,000 refurbishment.