Pub operator and brewer Brakspear has expanded its managed pub estate with the purchase of the George Hotel in Shipston-on-Stour. The addition of the Grade II listed building brings Brakspear’s fledgling managed estate to five sites.
The George Hotel is sited on Shipston’s main square and is a food led-business with a restaurant and two private dining/function rooms, as well as 16 letting rooms. Trading will continue as usual while Brakspear plans a major refurbishment, designed to bring the quality of the site up to the standard of the other four managed houses.
Tom Davies, Brakspear chief executive, said, “We’re delighted to have acquired this large, characterful site in a prime location in the Cotswolds. It has exciting potential as a destination food pub serving an affluent local market, and as a location for an overnight or weekend stay in one of the most visited areas of the country.
“As with all our managed pubs, we’re keen to develop the George in a way that retains its individuality and heritage, while adding elements that have worked at our other sites. We’re looking forward to starting the refurbishment later this year.”
The George is Brakspear’s second managed site in the Cotswolds, joining the Porch House in Stow-on-the-Wold, which opened in October 2013. The pub will be overseen by operations manager Mat Aket, while executive chef Antony Ely will be in charge of menu design, introducing a quality pub food offer similar to that in Brakspear’s other managed pubs.
Davies added, “With five pubs now trading, we are half way towards our target of 10 managed houses. While this goal isn’t set in stone, we believe it is achievable within the next couple of years – provided we are able to acquire pubs which fit our criteria – and we have built a managed structure with Mat, Antony and others at our head office, which will support an estate of this size.“
Brakspear’s first managed pub, the Bull on Bell Street in Henley-on-Thames, opened in March 2013, followed by the Porch House, the Running Horses in Mickleham, Surrrey and the Chequers in Marlow.
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Issued on behalf of: Brakspear
Website: www.brakspear.co.uk
Twitter: @BrakspearPubs
Further information: ShielPorter Communications
07841 694137 / 01403 267971