Restaurant firm Various Eateries to snap up pubs for £11.25m and change name

Restaurant group Various Eateries has struck a deal to expand into pubs and revealed plans to change its name.

The group, which runs Coppa Club and Noci venues, said it will change its name to the Coppa Collective.

The move came as the business agreed to acquire a portfolio of pubs with rooms from Grosvenor Pubs and Inns.

It expects to complete to takeover of four sites on or around March 23 and has a further agreement to potentially snap up a fifth site.

The initial four sites are Wild Thyme & Honey in the Cotswolds, The Hare & Hounds in Berkshire, The Stag on the River in Surrey, and The Wellington Arms in Hampshire.

It has also secured terms to potentially acquire The Queen’s Head in Surrey.

This venue is subject to an “asset of community value” process, meaning it can only be sold after the relevant statutory notification and moratorium period has expired, which could take up to six weeks.

The group, which was founded by Punch Pubs founder Hugh Osmond, will pay £11.25 million for the initial four pubs once the deal completes.

Various Eateries will create a third brand within its portfolio, called The Linwood Collection, after completing the deal.

The hospitality group currently runs 20 sites, including restaurant, club house and hotel venues.

The deal comes a month after the business said it was considering merger and acquisition opportunities in a bid to drive growth.

Mark Loughborough, chief executive of Various Eateries, said: “Linwood marks an important step in the evolution of the group.

“We are bringing into the business a small collection of premium pubs with rooms that have earned their reputations the right way, through great hospitality, careful attention to detail and a real sense of place.

“This is also a format we know well and rate highly in the current market.

“Premium pubs with rooms combine food and drink with accommodation and a broader, destination-led appeal.”