CLAPHAM HOUSE, the AIM-listed restaurant company run by David Page, the former PizzaExpress chief executive, is in talks to acquire a noodle or burger chain as a third leg to the business.

The group, which has bought the Real Greek and Bombay Bicycle Club chains since October, is believed to be talking to eight or nine potential targets, including Gourmet Burger and New Culture Revolution, a Chinese version of Wagamama.

Mr Page refused to be drawn on specific companies, but confirmed: “We are talking to burger and noodle bar operators. We haven’t made our minds up yet and we’re not going to rush. We probably won’t buy a third brand until the autumn.”

His strategy is to buy small chains of fewer than ten units that have the capacity to grow to at least 20 to 30, in a similar fashion to the early stages of PizzaExpress’s expansion.

Clapham House has raised almost £22 million since its AIM listing in November and still has about £17 million of that available for acquisitions.

Mr Page is also hoping to acquire packages of sites from rival operators that are suitable for conversion to the group’s existing brands He is believed to be eyeing sites owned by Spirit Group, PizzaExpress and ASK Central. PizzaExpress, in which he is still a “non-executive shareholder”, and ASK are both controlled by a consortium of private equity firms controlled by TDR Capital.

Mr Page said the Real Greek and Bombay Bicycle Club were trading in line or better than expectations.

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