Charles Wells is planning to double its managed estate over the next year and open a second site for its Pizzas, Pots & Pints concept, M&C has learnt.
Justin Phillimore, who was promoted to chief executive in September, told M&C that the company will look to acquire sites to add to its Apostrophe Pubs arm after initially converting sites from the tenanted estate.
He said the Pizza, Pots & Pints concept, which was launched at The Salisbury Arms in Cambridge last year could grow to at least 15 sites although he stressed the focus at the moment was on perfecting the offer in the first two sites. The second iteration of the concept will be a standalone branded outlet in what is currently Clarkes restaurant in Peterborough.
Meanwhile, the next managed house will be the Old Cock Inn at Harpenden, Hertfordshire. Phillimore said work to convert the site would begin next month with a view to opening in the summer. He said it would follow the model of d’Parys in Bedford, with an artisan food offer and focus on quirky interior design, and that the company would seek planning permission to add a further four rooms to t existing six.
Charles Wells will also return to the site of its original brewery to form part of the Riverside North development, which is due to open at the start of next year. The development will include a “nano-brewery”, producing bespoke beers for the site.
Phillimore said a sixth managed site was likely to open at the beginning of 2017 with a number of possible options currently being explored.
The sites will go alongside d’Parys, Merlin’s Cave in Chalfont St Giles and Cox’s Yard in Straford.
He said: “When we went back into managed we deliberately took our time to make sure we had the skills and the systems in place. We are now in a position where we can really push that forward. There may be one or two further sites within the estate that can be converted but we will also look to acquire.”
