Former Spirit chief back in business

Former Spirit Group chief executive Karen Jones has celebrated the award of a CBE with a return to the pub industry - she has bought the leases of five former Sprit gastro pubs in London.

Jones, who left Spirit six months ago, has teamed up with former Spirit colleagues, investment director Jo Cumming and divisional director Peter Myers.

She was awarded a CBE in the Queens Birthday Honours list and says the honour capped a brilliant few weeks as she negotiated the assignment

deal on the five outlets.

She said: "I am thrilled to be back in the industry and delighted to keep some of the Spirit team together. ​

"We had some great times at Spirit and the hope is we can enjoy ourselves in this small but highly exciting venture," she said.

Jones, whose new company is called Food & Fuel, believes there is still plenty of capacity left in the fast-growing gastro pub sector especially for operators who can provide good food and service in the right environment.

"We want to get the five pubs bedded in then we may look for more venues but its not a case of empire building,"​ she stressed.

Jones is believed to have walked away with up to £15m from the £2.7bn Spirit acquisition by Punch which has enabled her to put "real money" into the new venture.

"It's exciting to be able to start a new business and hopefully watch it grow, but while bigger things could be on the agenda long-term nothing will happen in a hurry,"​ she stressed.

The five pubs are the Lots Road Pub & Dining Room, Chelsea, The Prince Regent in Kensington, The Queens at Couch End, the Dusk in Marylebone High Street and the Birdcage, Chiswick.

"I do not know which has been more difficult over the past few weeks, getting the lease deals done or persuading my mother to keep quiet about the CBE but we managed both!"​ she said.

Cumming is chief executive of the new company while Jones takes on the role of chairman.