Punch sell-off: CAMRA urges NewRiver to keep sites as pubs

Licensees are concerned their pubs could be converted, as NewRiver Retail acquired 202 pubs from Marston’s for £90m in 2013, with the group announcing last month that good progress had been made in plans to develop convenience stores.

Head of communications at CAMRA Tom Stainer said: “New River Retail has also not confirmed its plans for the purchased pubs - but appears to be making positive statements about its intentions to run them as going concerns.”

The company's property director Allan Lockhart said NewRiver will work with Punch tenants affected to grow sales while looking for additional opportunities to redevelop surplus land.

CAMRA is seeking a meeting with NewRiver.

Stainer continued: “We’ll also be calling on New River Retail to consider fully any plans for redevelopment of surplus land associated with the recently purchased pubs and the potential effect redeveloping carparks or gardens could have on the future viability of the pubs."

The full details of this deal and the pubs involved have still not been confirmed.

Punch sold the “non-core” pubs for 53.5m at an average of £340k to reduce its debt.

Licensee of the Roscoe Head, Carol Ross, said she has tried to buy her pub from Punch before being informed this week her pub will be sold​ to NewRiver on 11 September.

"We’ll also be urging Punch Taverns - and any pub owning company - to consider other options for sale, including offering pubs to community groups or licensees themselves, before selling to property companies,” Stainer added.

NewRiver said it is committed to the tied model and was willing to look at longer leases for existing tenants.