Independent Operators

Camerons continues estate revamp and secures first new Head of Steam

22-Aug-2014 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Camerons Brewery, the Hartlepool-based brewer and pub operator, has announced plans to refurbish almost one third of its estate and has reopened eight closed sites from its disposal list, M&C Report has learnt.

Turner steps down as Novus chair

21-Aug-2014 By Mark Wingett. M&C Report

Novus Leisure, the London-based premium operator, is looking for a new chairman, after Graham Turner stepped down from the role he took up last October.

London Village Inns takes sixth pub

15-Aug-2014 By Ruth Williams, M&C Report

Pub operator London Village Inns has taken its sixth pub The Westbury in Wood Green, on a lease from Punch Taverns to bring its portfolio to six.

BrewDog announces location of fifth London site and plans for eight more bars worldwide

14-Aug-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

BrewDog, the Scottish brewer and pub operator, has secured its fifth London site in Islington, the Publican’s Morning Advertiser has learnt.

Charles Wells announces re-brand and changes to operational divisions

08-Aug-2014 By John Harrington, M&c Report

Charles Wells has announced that it is to bring its major operating divisions back under its main parent company identity, which will see an updated look and operating processes for the firm.

VIDEO: Pop Idol star teams up with Stonegate Pub Company for charity single

08-Aug-2014 By James Wallin

A huge charity drive by Stonegate Pubs has inspired the latest single from Gary Barlow’s protégé, Jo Birchall.

Reet Ale Pubs takes over Blue Bee Brewery

07-Aug-2014 By James Wallin

Sheffield-based pub group Reet Ale Pubs has completed the takeover of Blue Bee Brewery.

Maclay eyes craft beer expansion

05-Aug-2014 By John Harrington

Scottish pub and bar operator Maclay Group is looking to add a craft beer offer across its 26-strong estate as the company reports a pre-tax loss of £169,895 in the 16 months to 1 February 2014.

Weston Castle eyes funding options for expansion

17-Jul-2014 By John Harrington

Weston Castle, the northern England-based pub operator, is exploring different finance options including crowdfunding to fund acquisitions and investments under the leadership of Lesley Humphreys, who became managing director in February.

Luminar announces £1.2m refit for new Swansea site

15-Jul-2014 By James Wallin

Nightclub operator Luminar has announced it will invest £1.2m in its new Swansea site.

Luminar to roll out campaign to keep female customers safe

11-Jul-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

The Luminar Group, the nightclub operator, is looking to roll out an initiative to help keep women safe on a night out, after winning an award on the back of the campaign.

Joseph Holt announces new chairman as pre-tax profits fall

11-Jul-2014 By John Harrington

Joseph Holt, the Manchester-based brewer and pub operator, saw its pre-tax profit fall to £2.8m from £3.5m in the year to 31 December 2013 and announced that chairman David Tully is to step down.

McMullen pub forced to remove 'unneighbourly' outdoor lighting

07-Jul-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

McMullen’s managing director has spoken out about being penalised by the “long arm of bureaucracy”, after a local council ordered one of his pubs to remove its outdoor lighting.

Former JW Lees manager charged for £350,000 fraud

03-Jul-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

The former manager of a JW Lees pub has been charged with fraud after the brewer found that over £350,000 had gone missing from one of its West Yorkshire pubs.

Pub People Company expands

03-Jul-2014 By John Harrington

Pub People Company, the Midlands-based multiple pub operator, has taken its estate to 50 sites with the acquisition of two pubs from Marston’s.

Investor Luke Johnson acquires stake in InnBrighton

02-Jul-2014 By John Harrington

Serial sector investor Luke Johnson’s vehicle Risk Capital Partners has invested in InnBrighton, the Brighton-based pub company, which has been renamed the Laine Pub Company, the Publican's Morning Advertiser's sister title M&C Report has...

Joule’s launches craft beer format

01-Jul-2014 By John Harrington

Joule’s, the Shropshire brewer and pub operator, is developing a new craft beer bar concept that it wants to roll out into five sites initially.

Statutory code plans 'will increase risk for landlords', says McMullen MD

24-Jun-2014 By John Harrington

The managing director of McMullen’s has criticised the Government’s statutory code plans for “interfering” in the pubco/tenant relationship and heaping further burden on landlords.

Luminar announces its ’national champions’

23-Jun-2014 By James Wallin

Nightclub operator Luminar handed out awards to staff members at its annual conference.

Remaining Orchid sites placed in administration

20-Jun-2014 By Mark Wingett

The remaining 49 Orchid Pub Company sites that were not part of the package acquired by Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) have been officially placed in administration with Ernst & Young.

BrewDog secures Clapham and Brighton sites

19-Jun-2014 By John Harrington

BrewDog, the Scottish brewer and pub operator, has confirmed that it has secured its fourth site in London, in Clapham, and also its first on the south coast in Brighton.

Fuller's ponders expansion of craft cider and pizza concept The Stable

19-Jun-2014 By John Harrington

Fuller’s sees “considerable potential” for expansion of The Stable, the craft cider and pizza restaurant business in which it owns a 51% stake, in the south of England.

Loungers' Cosy Club could exceed 70 sites

18-Jun-2014 By John Harrington

Loungers, the Piper-backed cafe bar operator, sees scope to grow to at least 70 Cosy Club sites alongside a minimum of 350 for its primary growth concept Lounge.

Robinsons to trial flexible tenancy agreements

11-Jun-2014 By John Harrington

Robinsons, the Cheshire-based brewer and pub operator, is to introduce a more flexible tenancy agreement this year, which it hopes to roll out across most of its estate, joint managing director William Robinson has said.

Fuller's former brewing manager joins InnBrighton as guest brewer

09-Jun-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Brewing luminary Derek Prentice is back in charge of the tanks for the first time since retiring in January, as guest brewer at InnBrighton’s Laine Brewery.

City Pub Co EBITDA nears £1m in 'transformational' year

06-Jun-2014 By John Harrington

City Pub Company, the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS)-backed operator, has reported EBITDA of £912,166 in a “transformational” year to 29 December.

Amber outlines acquisition spend

05-Jun-2014 By John Harrington

Amber Taverns is due to spend between £6m and £7m per year over the next four years on expansion following the pubco’s £80m sale to funds backed by BlueBay Asset Management and MxP Partners, the company's managing director James Baer has told the...

Stonegate-operated package sold in £28m deal

03-Jun-2014 By Mark Wingett

OLIM Property, the property investment company led by former Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman Matthew Oakeshott, has acquired 15 freehold pubs let to Stonegate Pub Company for £28.3m.

Amber Taverns in £80m management buyout

30-May-2014 By Mark Wingett

Amber Taverns, the fast-growing operator of wet-led community pubs, has changed hands as part of an £80m management buyout.

Luminar sites net big investments

29-May-2014 By John Harrington

About half of Luminar’s 53-strong estate is scheduled to have received significant investment by the end of the current financial year, with c.£5m earmarked for major work at 15 sites during 2014/2015.

Stonegate to host nationwide charity pub tour

09-May-2014

Stonegate Pub Company will launch Britain’s Biggest Pub Tour next week.

Pieminister unveils plans for 'franchise' in pubs

09-May-2014 By James Wallin

Pieminister is seeking pubs to take up a brand licence to sell its pies.

McMullen invests in major refurb programme

02-May-2014 By Ruth Williams

McMullen, the Hertford-based brewer and pub company, has invested £240,000 renovating five of its pubs as part of its on-going investment plans across its estate.

Liberis offers £30m lending in return for share of future card payments

24-Apr-2014

Alternative finance provider Liberis is allocating £30m of new lending via business cash advances (BCAs) for the hospitality sector.

Orchid to expand All Inns concept after successful first year

11-Apr-2014 By John Harrington

Orchid Group has revealed plans to open 26 new All Inns after seeing a 23% rise in like-for-like sales in its first conversions to the brand.

Stonegate prices £400m of bonds

10-Apr-2014 By Mark Wingett

Stonegate Pub Company, the TDR Capital-backed group, has completed the successful pricing of £400m senior secured notes due in 2019, after announcing the bond offer last week.

City Pub Company snaps up another two sites

03-Apr-2014 By John Harrington

City Pub Company has continued its expansion with the acquisition of a flagship Brighton pub for £4.5m and the leasehold of a west London site.

Craft Beer Co secures West End site

28-Mar-2014 By John Harrington

Craft Beer Co, the craft beer pub operator led by Martin Hayes, is to launch a flagship site in London’s West End, after securing its first site with Punch Taverns, Rudy’s Revenge in Covent Garden.

The Big Interview: Mark Derry, Brasserie Bar Co

21-Mar-2014 By Mark Wingett

Mark Derry talks to Mark Wingett about Brasserie Bar Co’s concerted push into the pub sector with the White Brasserie Company

Orchid 'in IPO talks with advisors'

13-Mar-2014 By Mark Wingett

Deutsche Bank is understood to be conducting a beauty parade of potential advisors to a possible initial public offering (IPO) of Orchid Group, the Publican's Morning Advertiser's sister title M&C Report has learned.

Stonegate names Simon Longbottom as new chief executive

10-Mar-2014 By John Harrington

Stonegate Pub Company has announced that Simon Longbottom, managing director of Greene King Pub Partners, is to replace Toby Smith as chief executive of the managed operator.

Loungers' Alex Reilley wins top prize at Retailers' Retailer of the Year Awards

05-Mar-2014 By John Harrington

Alex Reilley, who has overseen the impressive growth of Loungers, has been singled out by his peers as the stand-out individual in the eating-out and drinking-out market.

Maclay Inns develops BBQ pub concept

05-Mar-2014 By John Harrington

Maclay Inns, the Scottish pub and bar operator, is to launch a new pub concept featuring barbecue food and craft beer.

Stonegate chief Toby Smith to leave

04-Mar-2014 By John Harrington

Stonegate, the managed operator, has announced that chief executive Toby Smith is to leave the company as soon as a suitable successor can be appointed.

New World Trading Co set to add five sites

03-Mar-2014 By John Harrington

New World Trading Company, the Tim Bacon and Jeremy Roberts-led pub group, is on target to add five more sites to its estate this year.

Batemans creates ‘manchise’ deal

03-Mar-2014 By John Harrington

Batemans, the Lincolnshire-based brewer and pub operator, has developed a management/tenancy hybrid agreement for future pub acquisitions, the Publican's Morning Advertiser's sister title M&C Report has learned.

McMullen seeks entrepreneurs to run pub - without investing any capital

26-Feb-2014 By Helen Gilbert

A Hertford-based family brewer is on the hunt for enthusiastic entrepreneurs to run one of its pubs with a difference - they do not need to invest any capital, pay rent, utilities or rates.

Missoula ‘bias’ in Stonegate site conversions

26-Feb-2014 By John Harrington

Stonegate’s conversions of its Living Room sites will have a “bias” towards Missoula, the group’s new US-inspired venture, according to chief executive Toby Smith.

Stonegate alters serve policy after customer downs 26 shots

24-Feb-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

Pub operator Stonegate has instructed barstaff across its 625-strong estate to be “vigilant” after a customer at one of its pubs reportedly downed 26 shots in just 10 minutes.

Stonegate's Common Room concept set to grow

18-Feb-2014 By John Harrington

Stonegate, the managed operator, expects to have another dozen sites converted to its evolved student-bar concept Common Room by the end of summer, after sales grew 60% at the first outlet to operate under the format, chief executive Toby Smith has told...