Bravo buys two Punch pubs
Bravo Inns, the Northern England based pub group, has acquired two pubs from Punch Taverns, bringing its total estate to 21 pubs.
The pubs, which were bought for an undisclosed sum, are the Millstone Inn in Golborne near Warrington, Cheshire, and the Tippings Arms in Wigan.
Bravo Inns was set up by managing director Ken Buckley and business partner Phil Dearden in 2007 after the sale of their previous pub company Bold to Calco Midlands.
It is backed by venture capital investors Albion Ventures, which has so far invested £8.5m. In May, the Morning Advertiser reported that Albion Ventures is merging several pub company investments including Bravo Inns into a single operator, Charnwood Pub Company.
The venture fund operator wanted to fold the seven pubs operated by Welland Inns — an estate currently run by Clear Pub Company — into Charnwood, which has eight pubs and is run by Daryl Cockerill and Shane Holland.
It also plans to tuck management of the Novello pub near Maidenhead into the venture.
Albion also wants to fold its Bravo Inns business into Charnwood in what would amount to more of a co-venture with Buckley staying on.
A source said: "Albion wants to consolidate some of its smaller companies with Charnwood. The tie-up with Bravo Inns would be more of a joint operation."
