Farm shop for Geronimo pub

Geronimo Inns, the food-led pub group, is set to have a farm shop in its latest acquisition outside of Greater London.

The company has not confirmed the name or opening date of the new site but said it would be located between its other two out-of-town pubs, the Bull Finch in Sevenoaks, Kent, and the Black Swan in Ockham, Surrey.

Chief executive Rupert Clevely said Geronimo would not operate the farm shop, but provide space for it.

Clevely, speaking at last week's Association of Licensed Multiple Retailer business day, said company chairman Chris Hutt had suggested Geronimo try to turn itself into the industry's greenest pub company.

Geronimo recently bought the freehold on the Bull Finch, which is due to open on 1 June. Clevely added: "We are planning to add another 10 sites in London and the south-east over the next three years and hope to have 21 pubs within the next 12 months.

"We are also looking at becoming the greenest pub company in the UK."

The pub group, which operates 15 pubs, has increased its presence in prime transport locations and is set to open outlets at the new Eurostar Terminal in St Pancras Station later this year and at Heathrow's Terminal Five.

Last November, Penta Capital, the private equity firm, acquired a controlling interest in Geronimo, and said it would invest £10m in the company to fund expansion. Clevely admitted the company had made mistakes in the past as it extended.