Cirrus Inns set to acquire Guy Ritchie pub the Punchbowl

Cirrus, which was founded by 333 Holdings founder Alex Langlands Pearse (Langy), is set to secure the long leasehold interest of the site from landlord Star Pubs & Bars. The group already operates the iconic Admiral Codrington in Chelsea.

The Punchbowl, which was acquired for a reputed £2.5m by film director Ritchie and nightclub entrepreneurs Piers Adam and Nick House in March 2008, will become the 12th pub secured by Cirrus since its launch at the end of 2011.

In January, it announced that Helena Puolakka, executive chef at Skylon, was to replace Mark Askew as chef director.

Askew, who joined Cirrus last year remains a shareholder in the business and works in a consultancy role on the group’s food offer. He is set to launch a new concept called Grillshack backed by Richard Caring.
It secured the Fish House hotel and restaurant in Chilgrove, West Sussex, and is set to re-open it under its original name the White Horse later this spring.
Other pubs under the Cirrus umbrella include the Yew Tree Inn in Berkshire that was formerly owned by Marco Pierre White; the Dundas Arms near Newbury; the Old House in Copthorne, West Sussex; the Museum in Blandford, Dorset; and the Archangel in Frome, Somerset.
It is thought that the group is aiming to eventually invest in up to 50 pubs, has already built up a database of “talented” entrepreneurs who wish to operate one of its investment sites.