The celebrated UK specialty coffee group has taken on Orée stores in Covent Garden, Borough Market, Parsons Green, St John’s Wood and Clapham, which it will rebrand and relaunch as WatchHouse outlets over the next 12 months
UK specialty coffee group WatchHouse is set to expand its London footprint after acquiring five Orée Boulangerie sites.
French artisan patisserie concept Orée launched in London in 2016 and grew to nine sites across the UK capital before entering administration at the end of April 2025.
WatchHouse, which already operates 19 outlets in London, has acquired Orée sites in Covent Garden, Borough Market, Parsons Green, St John’s Wood and Clapham, which it described as high-potential neighbourhoods.
The Clapham site will be rebranded as WatchHouse over the coming weeks, while the other four stores will continue to trade under the Orée name before being refurbished and relaunched as WatchHouse coffee shops within the next 12 months.
“These five locations are an exciting opportunity. They strengthen our presence in London and reflect the clarity we have around where and how we grow. It’s a move that deepens our roots in London and reinforces the foundations for what comes next,” Caroline Ottoy, Managing Director at WatchHouse, told Propel.
Alongside its 19 London stores, WatchHouse also has a store in Bath and operates a single site in New York – currently the group’s only international location. A second outlet in the US city will open at the iconic Chrysler Building on Lexington Avenue before the end of May 2025.
Founded by Roland Horne in 2014, WatchHouse achieved 62% year-on-year revenue growth in the 12 months ended 28 July 2024 to reach £15.4m ($20.4m). However, outlet growth in London and expansion to the US contributed to a pre-tax loss of £4.2m ($5.5m) – up from £2.5m ($3.3m) 12 months previously.
Alongside strengthening its presence in London and New York, WatchHouse is also exploring international franchising opportunities and has signed agreements to launch in the UAE and South Korea with stores planned in Abu Dhabi and Seoul.
