UK: Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries takes over English Country Inns

Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries from UK stepped up the consolidation of the pub sector today by announcing on August 24 a £13.7m (€20.2m) offer for English Country Inns. The brewing and pub company said it had reached agreement with English Country Inns that would see it take over 14 unbranded pubs in southern and central England.

Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries said the English Country Inns deal, which is subject to approval by shareholders, would give it further outlets to sell its own beers. Wolves brews Banks’s, Hanson’s and Mansfield beers in Wolverhampton and Marston’s Pedigree ale in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

It is the latest in a series of acquisitions that has seen Wolves build up an empire of 537 managed pubs, trading as Pathfinder Pubs, and 1,739 tenanted and leased sites grouped in its Union Pub Company.

The announcement came as rival Punch Taverns announced the sale of 45 pubs to Admiral Taverns for £14.8m (€21.8m) and is the latest in a series of recent takeovers within the industry as Greene King’s announcement of a £187m (€275.3) offer for Scottish Belhaven.

26 August, 2005