New Prospects London Pub Landlords

A planned sell-off of properties by Mitchell & Butlers (M&B) is set to open up a range of new opportunities for investors looking into the possibility of renting a pub in London.

Coming as the firm continues with its plans to move away from drinks-oriented establishments and concentrate its efforts on dining-centric venues, it has confirmed that it is to put 53 pubs on the market.

As well as offering the assets to their existing tenants to buy, the Independent reported that M&B will also be looking to sell them off to a range of other investors, potentially spelling good news for anyone thinking of renting a pub in London or elsewhere in the country.

Speaking to the newspaper, a source within the hospitality industry explained that a number of prime properties, including several with no obvious branding, are set to come onto the market in the coming weeks.

"These are rather large, rather nice, rather interesting pubs," the insider noted.
This comes soon after Bloomsbury Leisure Group outlined its plans to open a unique beer house in a historic property in the grounds of Euston Station to the Publican.

UK Pub Sales News

Winsford Pub for Sale, Cheshire

Cheshire Freehold Pub for Sale, Winsford

White Swan
Bradbury Road
Winsford
Cheshire
CW7

Gross Site Area: 34683 sq/ft*

£ 425,000 + VAT Freehold

White Swan pub for Sale Winsford

Britain's Pubs Now Sell More Food Than Beer

For the first time ever, Britain's pubs are now selling more food than beer, the Daily Mail reports.

According to data compiled by Mintel, 72 percent of Britons visit a pub for its food menu, versus 63 percent who visit for a drink. Special menu promotions have enticed diners, which offer more adventurous food than they typically would eat. At the same time, value-priced meal deals have also resonated strongly with consumers.

Overall, pub visits and alcohol consumption has dropped significantly in Britain, as 2009 saw the biggest nationwide drop in alcohol consumption since 1948. Consequently, the number of pubs throughout Britain dropped from 59,000 to 52,000.

Helen Spicer, senior food analyst at Mintel, offered this advice: "Pub food has had to adapt and now bar snacks and menus have become more variable from value ranges to more up-market offerings. For some venues, catering has become more important than serving a pint."


According to Mintel, the consumer leisure market has changed dramatically in recent years, with an emphasis on spending time at home leading to greater competition in the dining out market.

"Add to the mix cheaper and more accessible alcohol from supermarkets, the recession, rising tax and duty and a smoking ban and the pub sector has faced what has been dubbed the perfect storm," Spicer said. "The question is not whether the pub industry emerges unscathed from the recession it's too late for that but how it will absorb punishing tax measures and emerge to compete in a leaner and more 'consumer-centric' pub environment."

Yorkshire Pub Voted Top Gastro Pub

The Star Inn at Harome, North Yorkshire, has been named as the number one gastropub in the UK.The gastropub, run by Andrew and Jacquie Pern, took top spot in the “Old Speckled Hen” Top 50 Gastropubs 2010 awards, organised by the Morning Advertiser.

An industry poll of more than 700 food writers, celebrity and top hospitality industry chefs, pub guide editors, industry chiefs and food operators voted for The Star Inn following a rigorous judging process.

The Hand & Flowers in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, was named as runner up and the Hardwick in Abergavenny, South Wales, third.

London Pubs News for London Olympics 2012

The Publican reports that London Pubs are being urged by Boris Johnson to do their bit to help tourists feel at home when the Olympic Games roll into town in 2012.

Mayor of London has already started recruiting ambassadors to greet the hundreds of thousands of visitors set to arrive in the UK for the Olympics and Paralympics.London hostelries are to be key a recruiting ground with Johnson looking for locals to help guide visitors to key attractions – and pubs.

To support the bid pubs are being encouraged to take part in a poster campaign calling on customers to get involved.

The Morning Advertiser is reporting that a leading licensing solicitor has urged the Government to relax opening times for London pubs during the 2012 Olympics.

Jeremy Allen of Popplesten Allen said that it would make sense for the Government to make the order as soon as possible.The culture secretary can make a Licensing Hours Order to relax opening hours for occasions considered to be "of exceptional international, national or local significance".

Sheffield Pub for Sale, South Yorkshire

Freehold Pub for Sale, Sheffield

Adelphi
Vicarage Road
Sheffield
South Yorkshire
S9

Gross Site Area: 14725 sq/ft*

£ 220,000 + VAT Freehold

Adelphi Pub for Sale Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Ipswich Freehold Pub for Sale, Suffolk

Ipswich pub for Sale Suffolk

Red Lion
Bramford Road
Ipswich
Suffolk
IP1

Gross Site Area: 10903 sq/ft*

£ 275,000 + VAT Freehold

Red Lion Pub for Sale Ipswich Suffolk

Pubcos Struggle

Britain's biggest pubs group, said it would not pay a dividend in the current year and expected trading conditions to remain challenging, sending its shares down 11 percent on Tuesday.

The company stopped paying dividends in May 2009 to help reduce crippling debt of nearly £4 billion . Enterprise Inns disposed of 579 pubs during its fiscal year, raising 166 million pounds and generated proceeds of £114 million through a sale and leaseback programme. This helped it reduce net debt by £374 million to £3.3 billion.

Its estate now stands at 6,820 pubs valued at £5bn. Punch sold off 43 pubs during its year and has an estate of around 6,500. Both said that they intend to continue disposing of non-core pubs in the near-term.

Another rival, Mitchells & Butlers, announced yesterday that it has completed the sale of 330 "drinks-led" pubs to Stonegate Pub Co.

Pub for Sale Prestwich, Manchester Pub for Sale

Manchester Pub for Sale

Turf Tavern (Lime Tree)
Bury Old Road
Prestwich, Manchester
Greater Manchester
M25

Gross Site Area: 5858 sq/ft*

£ 275,000 Freehold

Turf Tavern Pub for Sale Prestwich Greater Manchester

Pub for Sale Leominster, Herefordshire

Leominster Pub for Sale

White Swan
Eardisland
Leominster
Herefordshire
HR6

Gross Site Area: 18162 sq/ft*

£ 300,000 + VAT Freehold

White Swan Pub for Sale, Leominster Herefordshire

Keighley Freehold Pub for Sale Yorkshire

West Yorkshire Pub for Sale Keighley

Woolpack Inn
King Street
Keighley
West Yorkshire
BD21

Gross Site Area: 2959 sq/ft*

£ 275,000 + VAT Freehold

Woolpack Inn Pub For Sale Keighley, Yorkshire

Do children ruin a trip to the local pub?

Pub landlords increasingly have to deal with abusive and aggressive behaviour from parents who have been asked to keep their children quiet, according to the Good Pub Guide.

But does the presence of children ruin a visit to the local? Or does it make it more enjoyable? The BBC's Tim Muffett has been finding out.

Oxted Pub For Sale Surrey

Surrey Pub and Cottage for Sale Oxted

Diamond
Holland Road
Oxted
Surrey
RH8
£ 975,000 Freehold

The property is located in this popular leafy Surrey village of Hurst Green approximately 1.5 miles from Oxted with its range of shops restaurants and supermarkets.

Rail links - a short walk from Hurst Green railway station with trains to Croydon and London (about 40 minutes)

Road links - Access to the M25 at junction 6 Godstone is about 4 miles distant, providing access to Gatwick and Heathrow Airports.

The premises comprise a fully licensed freehold public house with ancillary accommodation. The property has the following features:

Substantial main bar and seating area
Separate darts room and lounge area
20 cover fully fitted restaurant
Fully fitted commercial kitchen area .
Residential Accommodation - 2 upper floors
Office/storage/laundry 2 upper floors
Rear smoking area and beer garden.
Car Parking for 10 cars + drive leading to double garage and yard area.
Adjacent self contained 3-bedroom cottage and garden

This property has enormous potential for continued licensed use and/or redevelopment subject to gaining the appropriate Local Authority consents.

The property is currently trading as a successful business and has substantial potential for further growth and investment. Financial information may be available upon request.

The pub and adjacent cottage along with the car park, double rear garage and yard may have potential for further development.

The property is offered freehold with full vacant possession.

Diamond Pub for Sale with Adjacent Cottage

Freehold Pub for Sale Chesham, Buckinghamshire

Chesham Pub for Sale, Buckinghamshire

Elephant & Castle
Waterside
Chesham
Buckinghamshire
HP5

Gross Site Area: 6974 sq/ft*

£ 240,000 + VAT Freehold

Elephant and Castle Pub for Sale Chesham

Freehold Pub for Sale Orpington

Orpington Pub for Sale

Red Lion
High Street
St. Mary Cray
Orpington
BR5

Gross Site Area: 5879 sq/ft*

£ 375,000 + VAT Freehold

Red Lion Pub for Sale

Aylesbury Pub for Sale

Freehold Property for Sale Aylesbury

Mango's (Lantern)
Silver Street
Aylesbury
Buckinghamshire
HP20

Ground floor footplate: 1387 sq/ft*

£ 400,000 + VAT Freehold

The Property is located in the town centre, just off the market square and close to Friars Square shopping centre and is near a variety of eating and drinking venues. Railway and bus stations are also nearby, along with the new Waterside development which includes a new theatre.

It is a 3 storey detached brick building. There is an open-plan ground floor bar and a first floor galleried bar. the upper parts holds private owners accommodation comprising of 3 bedroom

Mangos Pub for Sale Aylesbury

Community Pubs Minister Appointment

The position of pubs minister has been brought back by the government after calls from the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).Conservative MP, Bob Neill, will take up the role previously filled by John Healey, which was scrapped after the last election.

Neill stated: "The local pub is a great British institution and the social heartbeat of life in our towns and villages, bringing people together and strengthening community relationships.

“As minister with responsibility for pubs, I am determined to protect the valuable role pubs play and help them to thrive.”

CAMRA’s head of policy and public affairs, Jonathan Mail, said that the group was “delighted” with the change in government thinking.

“It is vital that the pub and beer sector has a powerful voice within government to help oppose calls for ever higher taxes and restrictions on pub opening houses.

“The government also has a role in creating an environment which enables pubs to succeed and helping communities save valued pubs under threat of closure,” he added.

Other British beer and pub associations were quick to announce their satisfaction with the news, claiming it showed how seriously the government took the threat of pub closures.

Essex Council to Help Local Pubs

The Morning Advertiser reports that Licensees of rural pubs can apply for 50% grants of up to £5,000 for those who want to develop essential services under the Council’s Rural Enterprise Fund.

The scheme mirrors similar initiatives that operate elsewhere but this is the first to be launched since it was revealed that local government budgets would be slashed in the Comprehensive Spending Review.

John Longden, chief executive of Pub is The Hub, which has been involved in the scheme, said: “We are delighted to be working with partners in Essex to help retain and improve local services, helping businesses thrive and bringing residents together via the pub as the heart of the community.”

Hosts can find out about the funding at an open day on Thursday 4 November at the Essex Village Shops and Pubs Day in Danbury Village Hall, near Chelmsford.

Pub is the Hub advisor Terry Stork is due to attend the event, hosted by the Rural Community Council of Essex, to provide advice for licensees.

Pubs for Sale in Essex