£400k pumped into Brucan’s fourth site
Brucan Pubs has announced its fourth opening for its growing portfolio, which will undertake a £400,000 joint investment with Star Pubs & Bars prior to reopening in August.
Founded in 2018 by former ETM operations director James Lyon-Shaw and ex-head chef at the Club at The Ivy Jamie Dobbin, Brucan Pubs is leasing the Star at Witley in Surrey from Star.
The investment will create 25 new jobs and transform the pub to have a focus on British seasonal food with community links.
As is the case with Brucan’s other pubs, the Star will have a weekly-changing menu of traditional dishes and daily seasonal specials.
It will also feature plenty of British game, meat and fish alongside a bar menu of pub classics with Sunday lunches being a big fixture.
The refurbishment will restore the Grade II-listed, 17th century building throughout, aiming to retain its atmosphere and charm.
Outside, the investment will landscape the garden and add a dining terrace, heated pergola and pods for year-round socialising.
Brucan currently has the Greene Oak in Windsor, Berkshire, the Drumming Snipe in Mayford Surrey and the Greyhound in Finchampstead, Berkshire. This is in addition to village store and farm shop Goswell & Bards also in Finchampstead.
The company is looking for further leased and freehold sites to meet its aim in creating a 10-strong estate of gastropubs in the next five years.
Lyon-Shaw said: “We search for sites that will sustain a high percentage of food sales and where we can build a strong business by optimising or transforming the current offer.
“The Star ticks all the boxes and is in our core operating area south west of London. Good freeholds rarely come to market and are either very expensive or extremely run down when they do.
“The tied model is proving an affordable way for us to access great pubs. Star is very easy to work with, and we’re keen to find more opportunities with [the company].”
Star Pubs & Bars area manager Ron Barnes said the duo had built up a superb collection of destination dining pubs, each with its own unique feel.
He added: “Their approach is ideal for the Star. It will be a fantastic local as well as an exceptional drive-to pub for those further afield.”
West Yorkshire multiple operator expands portfolio
The freehold of the Duke of York at Stainland, near Halifax, West Yorkshire has been acquired by experienced operator Linda Green, with her son Matthew of Linda’s Inns.
The village pub was sold by retiring owner Ian Sinclair, who ran the site with his daughter for the past five years.
Linda Green was previously at Scottish and Newcastle Retail before launching Linda’s Inns in 2017.
The multiple operator will carry out a cosmetic refurbishment before reopening the Duke of York later this summer (August).
Linda said: “We are really excited to add the Duke to our growing portfolio and plan to grow to 15 pubs in the coming years.
“All will be traditional village pubs, at the heart of the community, serving good food, great local beers and premium wines and spirits.”
Fleurets announced the sale of the pub and negotiator at its Leeds branch Nick Thomas said it was important the new owners had values and visions that aligned with the property.
He added: “I am delighted we have found such an experienced operator to take over the reins and continue with the Duke of York being the centre of the local community.”
Liberation sells three pubs to Red Oak Taverns
Liberation Group has sold three tied tenanted pubs to Red Oak Taverns for an undisclosed sum.
The pubs are based in the south-west of England and are operated by tenants under substantive agreements. This is the first portfolio acquisition for Red Oak since the major refinancing of the business in March.
The pubs involved in the deal are the Old Station Inn, Hallatrow, Bristol; the Podymore Inn, Podimore, Yeovilton, Yeovil; and the Wiltshire Yeoman, Trowbridge, Wiltshire.
Read more here.
O’Neill’s launches first of rebrand roll out
O’Neill’s, which is a Mitchells & Butlers brand, has revealed a new look for the first of a remodel roll out.
The Birmingham branch on the city’s Broad Street has created 15 new roles across the site, the pub will host weekly live music events alongside showing major sporting events, including the Women’s Euros.
It closed its doors at the end of May and is set to open today (Thursday 30 June) with a launch night including live entertainment, DJs, food sampling and cocktails.
The new look means the venue has new spaces such as booth seating with individual TV screens, highlighting major sporting events.
See what the new look site looks like here.
Admiral sells seven pubs to FB Taverns
Pubco Admiral has disposed of a package of seven sites, as part of its requirements from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), after its purchase of Hawthorn, the Community Pub Company.
FB Taverns acquired the pubs following the CMA’s announcement of the closure of its investigation into the the acquisition by Admiral of more than 600 pubs owned by Hawthorn.
According to The Morning Advertiser’s sister title MCA, the pubs are the Blue Bell Inn, Wigan; the Glade, Coventry; the Lady Jane, Whitwick, Leicestershire; the Rose & Crown, Manea, Cambridgeshire; the Stag Hotel, St Helens; the Swan Inn, Bury St Edmunds; and the Swiss Bell, Braintree.
Read the full story here.