The group said the move to offer the sites, most of which are spread across the Midlands, was not a strategic change in direction, but a “practical solution” for some pubs that have not been let in the standard way.
The pubs include the Pink & Lily in Parslows Hillock, Buckinghamshire, the Dun Cow in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, and the Live and Let Live in Worcester.
Ed Cottrell, the group’s recently appointed first-ever commercial director, told M&C Report: “This is a practical solution for a small batch of hand-picked, prime pubs.
“We will review the process once it is completed and then make a call on whether to proceed with any further sites offered on
this basis.”