Fuller Smith & Turner, the West London family brewer and retailer, wants to double its pub estate in the next five years to 500 outlets.
Michael Turner, the company's managing director, who will become executive chairman in July, says he plans to grow both the tenanted and managed estate from a current combined estate of 234 pubs to more than double that number.
He said the two hotels Fuller's opened in September, one near Tower Bridge in London and the other in the city centre of Bristol, are already showing profit, despite the perceived difficult times in the hotels business since September 11. Fuller's has been running hotels for 30 years, Turner points out.
Turner says together with Simon Emeny, head of the retail estate, he will look to expand the company's managed concepts such as Fine Line, Ale & Pie and One of Two.
Fuller's also intends to add to its five "Whistle & Flute" pub-meets-bar outlets. These are London-focused, positioned in fairly affluent areas, and tend to be more wine oriented and female friendly.
Turner says: "There is a genuine place for the traditional pub and that is very much a part of our business. But it's much better to attack the market from lots of different angles.
"We now have the firepower, the expertise and the knowledge in place to make our aim of doubling the estate within five years very achievable."
Michael Turner, the company's managing director, who will become executive chairman in July, says he plans to grow both the tenanted and managed estate from a current combined estate of 234 pubs to more than double that number.
He said the two hotels Fuller's opened in September, one near Tower Bridge in London and the other in the city centre of Bristol, are already showing profit, despite the perceived difficult times in the hotels business since September 11. Fuller's has been running hotels for 30 years, Turner points out.
Turner says together with Simon Emeny, head of the retail estate, he will look to expand the company's managed concepts such as Fine Line, Ale & Pie and One of Two.
Fuller's also intends to add to its five "Whistle & Flute" pub-meets-bar outlets. These are London-focused, positioned in fairly affluent areas, and tend to be more wine oriented and female friendly.
Turner says: "There is a genuine place for the traditional pub and that is very much a part of our business. But it's much better to attack the market from lots of different angles.
"We now have the firepower, the expertise and the knowledge in place to make our aim of doubling the estate within five years very achievable."
