Marston's High Street sites to get Que Pasa treatment

Marston's says it expects to convert up to a dozen of its own unbranded High Street bars into Que Pasa sites, following today's purchase of EP.

The Midlands-based brewer announced today it had bought the Dorset pub operator - formerly the brewer Eldridge Pope - from entrepreneur Michael Cannon's Nouveaustar group for £155.1m.

Ralph Findlay, Marston's chief executive, said he believed "three to four" Que Pasa bars, which formed a small but key part of the EP portfolio, would be converted into Pitcher & Piano sites.

He added that "between 10 and 12 of our own unbranded High Street bars could be converted in Que Pasa sites".

Given Marston's recent name change and its own drive to rebrand its existing estate, Findlay said he would be taking a "close look at pub branding [throughout EP]" and envisaged "significant Marston's branding" on the newly-acquired company's food operations.

The group said it plans to sell 18 existing EP sites.

Marston's has been in direct talks with EP since November last year, Findlay revealed, although it had been watching the group for some time.

"We've had an eye on them for the past two to three years and have seen how the business has developed in that time. They've invested in the managed side, disposed of some unattractive leases and done good things with their food operation," he said.

Findlay said EP was "a good fit geographically and operationally, particularly on the High Street side, plus it has its own in-house distribution centre".

The deal takes Marston's total estate to 2,485 pubs: 23 per cent of the portfolio being managed, 77 per cent being tenanted/ leased.

The combined group expects to see first full-year savings in the region of £4.6m.