Fuller’s buy more pubs
In a £35.25 million deal with pubco Stonegate, Fuller’s have acquired a further ten pubs. Nine of them are in London. Four of them are freehold and so changed hands immediately while the others are leaseholds that require their freeholder’s consent. Some of the pubs are well known, such as the Blue Anchor on the river at Hammersmith and the Shipwrights Arms in Tooley Street. The others are the Argyle, Bonds, the Lillie Langtry, the Duchess, the Duke of Sussex, the Two Brewers and the Earl Spencer. The tenth pub is in Bath, the Lamb & Lion. Most of these were part of Stonegate’s up-market Chapter Collection. Simon Emeny, Fuller’s executive chairman commented, “We have always maintained a disciplined policy of only acquiring the right assets at the right price. This transaction certainly meets these criteria.”
Prior to this, Fuller’s had also exchanged contracts on the Bull & Hide, which has ten bedrooms, and St Barts.
Meanwhile, Asahi have sold their UK wholesale business and their distribution operation to C&C Group. This will include the distribution of beer to Fuller’s pubs.
Stonegate strengthens Craft Union
Stonegate Group, the UK’s largest pub company, is looking to transfer a further 100 sites to its leased and tenanted division. This is part of the company’s transformation strategy. It is understood that these will become Craft Union outlets which are ‘operator-led’. This will leave Stonegate with around 200 managed pubs. The sale of around 1,000 pubs which Stonegate placed on the market earlier this year is still a possibility.
Other sales
The Morgan Pub Collective has added to their estate with the acquisition of the Canbury Arms in Kingston from Young’s. The distinctive Victorian pub dates from 1891.
The Fire Station bar and restaurant at Waterloo has been taken over by Urban Pubs & Bars. It is being refurbished and is expected to reopen by the end of September.
More Whitbread disposals
By the time that you read this, there will be no more Beefeater or Brewers Fayre carveries. It is, in its way, the end of an era. What once was seen as a big night out no longer attracts customers as it used to. Some 4,000 jobs may be lost. Whitbread are also closing their Bar + Block, Cookhouse and Table Table sites, which are usually associated with Premier Inn hotels. Some of these will be converted to a new format, the Social. While some of the former carveries are being absorbed into adjoining hotels, around 100 are being sold. As mentioned in the previous edition, Wetherspoon’s have bought five of them and Mitchells & Butlers six, presumably to expand their Miller & Carter and Harvester chains. Most interestingly however, a company called the Queensway Hospitality Group has acquired 53 sites in order to set up a new ‘value’ pub chain. Up to now they have only operated hotels and restaurants.
Wren Pubs
This small chain operates the Surprise in Chelsea and the Walmer Castle in Notting Hill and has recently acquired the former Botanist site in Sloane Square. They have however recently sold the Carpenter’s Arms in Hammersmith, which Wren acquired in 2024 and substantially refurbished. Founder Jack Greenall told the Propel newsletter that the company was ‘exploring further opportunities, ideally with bedrooms in London’. Wren Pubs has Rupert Clevely, the founder of Geronimo Inns and Hippo Inns, as its non-executive chairman. The company’s turnover for last year reportedly exceeded £10 million.
The new owner of the Carpenter’s Arms, which dates from 1871, is the singer-songwriter James Blunt, who already owns the Fox & Pheasant in Chelsea. Blunt said, “It’s an honour to be the custodian of this beautiful and important local landmark. I know how much it means to the residents and I hope we can serve them as well as they have been by Jack and his team.” The pub is currently closed while the kitchen is rebuilt and the and first floor converted to a dining area. It is scheduled to reopen next summer.
End of an era at Harvey’s
After 40 years as head brewer, the renowned Miles Jenner is ‘moving upstairs’ to become production director at Harvey’s of Lewes. He will continue as joint managing director. In line with the company’s succession plan, Peter Yarlett, who joined the company in 1995, succeeds him as head brewer. Mr Yarlett holds a master’s degree in brewing and distilling from Heriot Watt University and has previously worked at Meantime and Hogs Back breweries. Mr Jenner commented, “Our aim was to ensure continuity, while encouraging innovation and it is exciting to see this long-term objective come to fruition. I could not wish for a more capable or enthusiastic brewing team.”
