Managed pub operator Barracuda is to rebrand all its 161 Smith & Jones outlets in a bid to make the brand as well recognised as any other in the sector.
M&C Report has learnt that the company, which is lead by chief executive Mark McQuater, is to rebrand every Smith & Jones with a new logo over the coming six to nine months.
The move follows a redesign of Smith & Jones last year to give it a more "contemporary" look. It also follows a gradual evolution of Smith & Jones' offer towards food and entertainment.
"We will work it up so it's as valid a pub brand as any other pub brand," McQuater told M&C Report.
"I think when customers are looking for food in particular, they want the reassurance of the brand. I would like to become a recognised pub brand in the food scene.
"We want Smith & Jones to be that special place for white-collar workers to eat and have fun."
As part of the rebrand, there will also be a new website and trials of a new loyalty card scheme.
The rebrand forms part of a £16m spend on the brand across two years, which has seen the gradual conversion of other Barracuda sites to Smith & Jones.
The aim is to eventually convert another 30 or-so outlets to the Smith & Jones format, leaving around 20 Varsities, its student-focused brand. Just one Barracuda Bar, its sports-focused city centre brand, remains, in Hull.
The Smith & Jones rebrand is being communicated to customers in a 16-page leaflet, available in the pubs, which outlines the different offers available. The leaflet lists all the outlets and also outlines a series of promises to customers on areas such as standards of service, food, drinks and atmosphere.
