A round-up of this month's pub-food news

Restaurant Group acquires B&P

The Restaurant Group (TRG), the casual-dining operator of Frankie & Benny's, Chiquito, and Garfunkel's, has acquired pub-restaurant operator Brunning & Price (B&P) for £32m.

B&P operates 14 sites, predominantly in the north-west of England. Its estate includes five freehold sites and nine leaseholds, with a further freehold site that is currently undergoing redevelopment and is set to open next year. Its existing management team will stay with the business.

TRG said that the B&P sites would remain unbranded and that it would to look to roll out further B&P units and its Blubeckers pub restaurant brand in rural and semi-rural locations.

Pub du Vin spawns small version

Marylebone Warwick Balfour (MWB) is looking to roll out a smaller, drinks-led version of its Hotel du Vin brand, called Pub du Vin.

The first Pub du Vin site opens next summer, beside the company's Hotel du Vin, in Brighton, after the group acquired the neighbouring Sussex Arts Club for £2.2m.

It plans to open what chief executive Robert Cook describes as "a proper pub".

The venue will include 10 bedrooms, including two rooftop suites. Robert said that if the concept proves successful the company would be keen to roll it out further.

Robert said: "I see Pub du Vin as something we can roll out to areas that can't sustain a 30-40 room Hotel du Vin, but where we could operate a classic British pub with a small number of rooms."

Green Wellies boost pubs' profile

A new pubco, the Green Wellies Pub Company, has been set up with a view to keeping the country pub alive in Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.

Three local businessmen, Adrian Goose, Norman Chessman and Tim Jones, have formed the company with the aim of acquiring ailing country pubs and adding good food and drink, traditional values and a classy décor.

Adrian said: "We have set up this company because we want to produce nice country pubs that not only serve good real ale and decent food, but also add good service to an atmosphere where people want to spend time and chat."

Green Wellies Pub Company's first acquisition is the Plough Inn, in the village of Cropwell Butler, Bingham, Nottinghamshire, which opened at the end of August.

Second pub for Ramsay

Gordon Ramsay has opened his second pub, the Devonshire, in Chiswick, West London. The pub is under the guidance of Mark Sargeant, executive chef at Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's.

It was in March, that Gordon opened his first

gastropub, the Narrow, in London's Limehouse.

The Devonshire's menu will follow the style of the Narrow, focusing on classic British dishes based around an array of seasonal ingredients.

Gordon has talked about opening as many as 10 pubs in the next year.

Price of pub food 'soaring'

The price of pub food is soaring to unacceptable levels, prompting murmurs of discontent from dining customers, according to the editors of The Good Pub Guide 2008.

Most pubs overcharge for their food by about 67%, according to the guide. A country-wide survey of prices puts the average cost of the humble steak and kidney pie at an astonishing £10.50.

A survey of 1,000 menus reveals that an average middle-price range of a two-course lunch now costs punters £16.76 per head, an average that rises to £20 with a glass of wine.

The famous guide stops short of saying that a customer rebellion is on the cards, but it does indicate that "customers are getting worried".