TLC Inns secures funding for fifth pub

Award winning multiple operator TLC Inns has secured funding to add a fifth pub to his estate in early 2011.

TLC, founded and run by Steve Haslam, is on the look-out for a freehold outside London but is also considering a number of Enterprise leasehold options within London for the first time.

Haslam is hoping to open two more pubs during 2011 after securing an initial £400,000 worth of funding with Barclays.

Haslam founded TLC Inns in 2006 with partner Jo Drain and has turned around three failing Enterprise leaseholds — Cutter Inn in Ely, Cambridgeshire, the White Horse in Rmasden Heath, Essex and the Windmill in Peterbrough — with turnover reaching a very healthy level.

In August he opened his first freehold — the Henny Swan, near Sudbury in Suffolk — after acquiring it from Punch Taverns.

"Ideally we would like a freehold outside London," said Haslam. "But we are also considering creeping into London for the first time."

He is hoping to recruit a manager and head chef ahead of any purchase, in order to train them up in the TLC way.

"I would rather be top heavy now with staff so that when we do make the purchase they are ready to hit the ground running," he said.

"Our business is built on great people so we are looking for top quality people to join us."