The Clapham House Group, run by David Page and Paul Campbell, has today announced the acquisition of The Gourmet Burger Kitchen chain – its third acquisition in the year since the company’s creation.

Clapham House – owner of The Bombay Bicycle Club and Real Greek restaurant chains – has acquired the entire issued share capital of Wisconsin UK, which trades as Gourmet Burger Kitchen, for an initial consideration of £2.6m in cash and a further earn out consideration capped at £7.4m.

The chain currently operates six sites in London – in Battersea, West Hampstead, Putney, Fulham, Chiswick and Bayswater – and has a number of other locations in the capital under offer.

Its existing senior management team will retain operational control of the business.

Page, Clapham House’s executive chair, said: “During the six months to 30 September 2004, we have successfully integrated The Bombay Bicycle Club and The Real Greek into Clapham House and both these businesses are trading well.

“Having now completed our third acquisition, Gourmet Burger Kitchen, just over a year since the company’s admission to AIM, we will focus our resources on growing these formats through site expansion and further improving their profitability.”

The company has recently exchanged contracts on a site in Holland Park and expects to secure further premises in the coming weeks. To assist in the planned expansion of the three chains, Sarah Willingham, managing director of The Bombay Bicycle Club has been appointed to the Clapham House board as development director.

Clapham House has also announced its interim results for the six months to 30 September. Net cash stands at £17.1m and pre-tax losses were £58,000.

Last month, Page and Campbell, the former CEO and finance director of PizzaExpress respectively, floated a second investment business on AIM.

Clerkenwell Ventures floated on 29 0ctober and was created to acquire established, high-growth businesses in the leisure sector which can be expanded by organic growth and acquisition.

Alongside Page and Campbell on the board is Tom Quigley, managing director of ING Corporate Finance and head of the leisure, hospitality and retail sector team.