Acquisitions Help Project William Gather Momentum
Posted on 14th December 2009
The Crown Inn at Beeston, Nottinghamshire, the Rose and Crown in Brampton near Chesterfield and the Old Fighting Cocks in Oakengates, Telford, have been purchased by Everards to be run by local real ale experts on special partially tied tenancy agreements.
The Crown has been refurbished and let to father and son team Dave and Oliver Brown, who have been successfully running another Project William pub the Chesterfield Arms for just over 12 months.
The Rose and Crown has also undergone refurbishment and been let to local microbrewer Brampton Brewery.
The Old Fighting Cocks was a freehouse which closed 18 months ago and will be given a new lease of life when Everards refurbishes it in partnership with local brewer Ironbridge run by David Goldingay. The business is expected to reopen in late spring 2010.
Project William is a scheme pioneered by Everards in 2007 whereby the company teams up with local breweries and publicans to transform struggling or closed pub businesses into thriving ale houses. There are 13 Project William sites currently operating in the UK.
As part of the agreement Everards relaxes its tie on cask conditioned ales to allow for a full and diverse range of products to reach customers, which is particularly welcomed by smaller independent breweries as it gives their ales a straightforward route to market. It also allows Everards penetration into new trading areas for its own beer brands.
Stephen Gould, managing director of Everards, said: “We remain committed to adding to our pub portfolio and when a deal presents us with an opportunity to extend the reach of Project William then it becomes an extremely attractive proposition.
“These three sites have tremendous potential to become profitable ale houses, capitalising on the current resurgence in popularity of traditional, handcrafted beer and providing tremendous scope for growth for both Everards and the local partner brewer.
“In the case of the Crown Inn we have partnered with individual licensees rather than a brewer but the business model works just as well. Their success proves that cask ale can grow a pub business provided it is in the hands of committed and professional individuals.”
- Pictured (l-r) Mick Dowson, Jon Leeming, Dave Hattersley, John Hirst, Chris Radford of the Rose & Crown, Brampton.
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