Charles Wells to invest £8m into French estate
The company will expand on its current portfolio of 13 managed pubs in Paris, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Montpellier, Lyon and Lille.
The Jolly Sailor, on the quayside in La Rochelle opened earlier this summer, with the company’s fourth pub in Bordeaux set to open in autumn.
English experience
There are plans to open three pubs per year during the three-year period. All will have individual identities but all presenting the charm of a traditional English pub.
Customers will be able to experience ‘a real taste of England’ at each site, the brewer hopes, through a quintessential English experience.
About 90% of draught, bottled beers and ciders served at the pubs will be UK exports, including Charlie Wells Triple Hopped IPA and Dry Hopped Lager.
Football fever
The announcement comes after a successful World Cup in the country with an 83% sales uplift on the same period last year.
Some 176,000 pints were sold in the month of the tournament, including 20,180 pints on the day of the final match.
Chief executive Justin Phillimore said: “We’re proud of the portfolio of the Charles Wells pubs we’ve built up in France, each one has its own personality but captures the traditional English pub atmosphere perfectly.
“Our local customers love our distinctive beer range and the comfortable pub atmosphere where there is always something going on whether it is our bilingual quiz nights, themed parties or karaoke.
“The concept is a big success in France and the fact our customers chose an English pub to watch and celebrate French success at the World Cup is a testament to that.”
