The name will not be overtly used externally or directly to the group’s customers. Each pub will re-tain its own name, its position within its own market and will be managed and marketed according to local customer needs.
M&B formed its “Town Centre & Community” pub category 14 months ago and it is made up of 72 un-
branded managed pubs and 62 franchised pubs.
The company told M&C Report it didn’t believe that the name Town Centre & Community truly represents either the “diversity of the estate” or its “modern day approach” to managing its unbranded businesses.
It said that the move to the new name reflected a more contemporary approach to managing traditional and individual pubs and “emphasises the heritage and rich history of a number of our iconic businesses”.
David Blackhurst is the brand operations director for Oak Tree Pubs.
Meanwhile, Zac Peake, M&B’s director of strategy, is to become the latest member of its management team to step down, M&C Report understands. It is thought he will leave later this month.