Colin Sadler, managing director of Marston’s premium arm, Revere, has told MCA that the success of the integration of the Pointing Dog pubs has given the group confidence to look at other small group deals.
The three sites transferred across to Revere at the start of last month and Sadler said there were already learnings been incorporated from both sides.
He told MCA: “We have found that the integration has been warmly received by the teams. They get the benefits of both being part of a larger company but also the independent ethos that we have at Revere.
“We’re interested in learning from them – they have a great food offer and great chefs. We can incorporate things into the wider business and vice versa.
It’s shown us we are capable of acquiring and integrating groups successfully – which is not something that all of the established brewers and pub companies can do. That has given us encouragement to look at more stuff in the future. We would certainly consider acquisitions of smaller groups that made a sensible fit.”
Sadler said he intended to keep the Pointing Dog branding and that Revere would be looking at the way it markets its three brands (Pointing Dog, Lost & Found and Foundry) as well as differentiating between its high street bars and rural pubs. He said work was planned for the company website.
He said he was keen to expand the two hone-grown brands, with the Market Hall in Marlow’s High Street being lined up for a Lost & Found and the group also doubling up in Leeds with the acquisition of the Albion Place site. The latter will be converted into a ground floor cocktail bar, large secret bar and first floor restaurant.
He said there were several sites in the pipeline for the Foundry project – the second of which launched this year in Harrogate – with more expected to open this year.
Yesterday, Biters n Twisted said it was vacating the New Inn at Harborne – the freehold of which is owned by Marston’s – and it was likely to become a Revere site.
Sadler said: “As a company we are considering a number of options – one of which could be part of Revere but that would involve developing the site. But we have not concluded those discussions. It’s a very strong area – there’s some great pubs in Harborne. Either way we’ll have a strong site.”
