Roger Payne
CEO & Founder
Roger Payne, CEO of Eclection,is a Freeman of the City of London, a well-known London-based entrepreneur, a hospitality expert and philanthropist with a background in licensing law, financial consultancy and high-level catering.
Roger’s holistic approach to hospitality means he can control every element of his business under one umbrella. Focussing on the customer journey means that his Eclection Platform can operate in all sectors from Fine Dining, Bars, High Street Restaurants together with entertainment establishments.
Whether it is simply to enjoy just a drink, a snack at the bar, a special dining experience or a complete evening including entertainment and dancing at any one of his venues, the Eclection system ensures smooth delivery, 100% of the time.
From reservations, event management, staffing requirements, to an unbelievable database of over 500,000 customer names and addresses essential for marketing offers and reward schemes - Roger is able to mastermind the advocacy, strengths and opportunities for each of his award-winning businesses.
The back-office systems with analysts looking daily at every commercial aspect means unparalleled control of the main KPI’s. In addition to Eclection, he has a 50% stake in the long established WE ARE Bar collection, a group of 10 Bars/Restaurants in the City of London, the financial district.
Before moving full time into operating his own business in the hospitality industry, Roger enjoyed a career in high level catering.
During the 1980s he worked in Switzerland and Germany in leading five-star hotels. In 1986, The Lord Mayor of London presented him as a “Freeman of the City of London” – a unique and rare accolade for such a young man.
In 1996 Roger’s first success came with the brand development of Jongleurs, the UK’s leading chain of Stand Up Comedy Clubs during the 90’s. Roger developed a chain of hotels, bars and Restaurants throughout London and has acted as a multiple licensee often overseeing as many as 40 licensed venues at one time through his unique operations system and his loyal managerial team.
Much of the early Millennium was spent chairing committees as the ‘Head of The Leicester Square Association’ - an organisation that brought together businesses, residents and other parties’ interested in safety and development within the entertainment industry of London.
Roger’s landmark business at that time, Sound, in Leicester Square, was one of London’s foremost entertainment establishments featuring restaurants, bars, two late night venues, and television production facility, housed within the famous landmark, the Swiss Centre. It was successfully sold in 2011.
Roger has acted as an independent community liaison representative with the Metropolitan Police and attended training courses at Hendon Police Training College as an observer at Inspector level on the Hydra programme. In 2001 he was appointed to the Board of ‘The Heart of London Business Alliance’, the UK’s first business improvement district, a body responsible for the safety and upkeep of the famous ‘West End’ of London, including Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square.
Roger is renowned for his direct approach to business alongside a keen sense of humour and compassion and lives with his lawyer wife, Lesley, in the World Heritage city of Bath.
