Fuller's makes triple acquisition
Fuller, Smith & Turner, the brewer and pub operator, has added three pubs to its estate — the famous rugby pub The Cabbage Patch in Twickenham, the Coach and Horses in Soho, and The Crown in Bishop's Waltham.
The Cabbage Patch in Twickenham is an institution among rugby fans visiting Twickenham Stadium. It has two bars, a saloon bar and a sports bar as well as a nightclub known as 'The Patch'.
The Cabbage Patch will be added to Fuller's managed division and a refurbishment is planned to upgrade the cellars and fabric of the building.
The Coach and Horses at the heart of London's Soho on Greek Street is famous as the setting of Private Eye's 'The Regulars' cartoon featuring British journalist Jeffrey Bernard and immortalised in the hit play Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell starring Peter O'Toole.
The pub is also remembered for its former landlord Norman Balon, the self-styled "rudest landlord in London'.
The Grade II listed building will be added to the Fuller's tenanted division and receive a sensitive refurbishment, "maintaining its own unique character and style as a pub untouched by modern trends".
The Crown Inn in Bishop's Waltham, which occupies a Grade II Listed building, is currently closed.
The pub will undergo extensive refurbishment to bring it in line with Fuller's quality brand and will re-open in early 2012 under the managed division.
"These acquisitions represent an exciting period for Fuller's as we look to extend our position in London but also expand into new areas where we believe our brand will be well-received," said Fuller's group managing director, Simon Emeny.
"This year we have already purchased The Swan Hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon, a beautiful period building with great promise.
"The Cabbage Patch is a famous rugby pub, and with our existing landmark Twickenham rugby pub The Turk's Head, puts Fuller's in a great position to take advantage of the excitement around the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
"The Coach and Horses adds to Fuller's existing strengths in iconic London pubs and fits well with the acquisitions we made in 2009, such as The Roundhouse in Covent Garden and The Red Lion on Parliament Street."
He added: "The Crown Inn marks somewhat of a departure for Fuller's, where we will spend more on the refurbishment of the property than the freehold itself to create a fantastic Fuller's pub experience almost from scratch.
"The property has huge potential and we look forward to putting our stamp of quality on what is sure to be a great addition to our portfolio."
