Coffer Corporate Leisure (CCL), a dedicated mergers and acquisitions advisor for the leisure industry, has been launched to capitalise on the mounting activity in the sector.

Its services include corporate disposals, acquisitions, deal management, fundraising and providing strategic advice for operators and vendors.

CCL is headed by David Coffer, chair of the Earls Court and Olympia Group (EC&O)and of leisure property company Davis Coffer Lyons, alongside corporate leisure specialist Mark Sheehan. Chair and managing director respectively, the pair have advised on more than £2bn worth of deals between them.

The group has recently advised on its first two transactions: the sale of the UK franchise rights of US casual dining brand Chili’s back to parent company Brinker; and the sale of London food emporium Villandry to Hush owners Jamie Barber and Geoffrey Moore.

Currently, CCL is working on disposal and acquisition transactions in the health and fitness, pub and restaurant sectors with a combined value of more than £500m, as well as three sale and leaseback portfolios worth around £300m. It is expected to announce details of a major deal in the health and fitness industry in the next couple of weeks.

Chair David Coffer said: “Coffer Corporate Leisure represents the next step in the evolution of the leisure property sector. Never before has the marketplace seen so much corporate activity fuelled by private equity houses and venture capitalists.

“With experience and intelligence from the cutting edge of this dynamic sector, CCL is able to provide a truly unique range of services to operators and investors alike.”

Photograph: Mark Sheehan (left) and David Coffer