M & B to sell a load of pubs

[Delboy20]

Looks like M&B are selling a stack of pubs. http://www.expressandstar.com/news/business/2010/08/20/mb-announces-sell-off-of-300-pubs/

The buyer - TDR Capital - say that "portfolio of pubs will form the basis of new Stonegate Pub Company Limited."

Wonder what they will be like ??

[ROBCamra]

Looks like M&B are selling a stack of pubs. http://www.expressandstar.com/news/business/2010/08/20/mb-announces-sell-off-of-300-pubs/

The buyer - TDR Capital - say that "portfolio of pubs will form the basis of new Stonegate Pub Company Limited."

Wonder what they will be like ??

Well given that they're buying the Scream, Reflex & Flares bars as part of the package. I'm going to take a wild punt on "they'll be crap" :D

[Delboy20]

That's a fair bet !!

[General Staal]

Well given that they're buying the Scream, Reflex & Flares bars as part of the package. I'm going to take a wild punt on "they'll be crap" :D

There used to be a pub in Perry Barr, Birmingham called the Wellhead and I am informed by some older locals that the real ale there was fantastic. It is now a Scream pub called the Hare of the Dog and it is s@!%

[rpadam]

A bit more detail from M&B's website:

Information on the Non-Core Pubs

The Non-Core Pubs consist of a portfolio of 333 managed pubs of which 66 are short leasehold and the remaining 267 are freehold or long leasehold. The Non-Core Pubs are located across the UK including 33% in the South and 38% in the Midlands.

The Non-Core Pubs comprise:

- 52 Scream bars (pubs focused on the student market)

- 71 Bars & Venues (music bars and late night entertainment venues)

- 75 Town Pubs (largely unbranded pubs in busy town centres)

- 67 Community Pubs (drinks-led pubs in residential areas competing against tenanted pubs)

- 68 other small pubs

[NickDavies]

A bit more detail from M&B's website:

Information on the Non-Core Pubs

The Non-Core Pubs consist of a portfolio of 333 managed pubs of which 66 are short leasehold and the remaining 267 are freehold or long leasehold. The Non-Core Pubs are located across the UK including 33% in the South and 38% in the Midlands.

The Non-Core Pubs comprise:

- 52 Scream bars (pubs focused on the student market)

- 71 Bars & Venues (music bars and late night entertainment venues)

- 75 Town Pubs (largely unbranded pubs in busy town centres)

- 67 Community Pubs (drinks-led pubs in residential areas competing against tenanted pubs)

- 68 other small pubs

Leaving the Scream bars aside, which I suspect they're getting rid of because of the dreadful image they cast on the company I would suggest that most of the town and community pubs are those which they turned their backs on long ago for being to small or awkward to inflict branding upon, and have thus been left behing to fester with the sort of lazy managers who could never be trusted with say an Ember Inn. We can but hope that whoever takes them on makes a better job of them and they aren't all turned into flats.