Pub chain
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A pub chain is a group of pubs owned by a single company, although the term usually refers to chains in the United Kingdom. Examples include Wetherspoon's, The Walkabout, All Bar One and the Eerie Pub Company. The pubs in the chain usually all share the same name such as "The Walkabout" or "O'Neills" or "All Bar One". But there are exceptions such as in the case of branches of "Wetherspoon" chain pubs and also the former "Firkin" pubs, which tend to choose names that are 'variations on a theme'.
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[edit] Types
In the United Kingdom, there are two types of pub chains reflecting the ownership of the pub and the style of operations. Pubs are either tenanted or managed.
Pub chains like Punch Taverns plc and Enterprise Inns plc own thousands of tenanted pubs, which are not branded in any way and do not look like they are part of a pub chain to the consumer.
Pub chains operating managed houses tend to run them as brands, often on or near a high street but sometimes in community areas too.
Multiple-held pubs do exist in countries other than the United Kingdom, but due to most countries having different accepted systems of ownership and supply, they do not hold anywhere near the level of control over the market as they do in the UK.
[edit] Companies
[edit] Mitchells & Butlers
Mitchells & Butlers used to be the retail division of Bass plc, which changed in July 2001 to become Six Continents Retail, which then changed to its new name in April 2003. It owns All Bar One, Ember Inns, Edwards, Flares, O'Neills and Scream, as well as others. It is based in Birmingham.
[edit] Luminar Leisure
Chicago Rock Cafe and Jumpin Jaks are owned by Luminar Leisure, which is based in Luton. Luminar principally operates large nightclubs such as Oceana.
[edit] Laurel Pub Company
Laurel (based in Luton) acquired several pub chains using funding arranged by Robert Tchenguiz, including buying Bar Med and Slug & Lettuce from the adminstrators of SFI Group plc and also Yates's who were based in Bolton, Greater Manchester. Laurel owns the HogsHead chain of high street bars.
[edit] Pitcher and Piano
Pitcher and Piano are owned by Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries PLC. Owned by Marston, Thompson and Evershed plc from 1996 to 1999.
[edit] Barracuda Group
Varsity, Barracuda Bars, Juniper Inns and Smith & Jones are owned by the Barracuda Group, who are based in Marlow, Buckinghamshire.
[edit] Hobgoblin
The Hobgoblinns pubs are a chain in London and the south of England. They were owned by Wychwood Brewery until 2002.
