Restaurant Group targets five pubs a year
The Restaurant Group (TRG) is targeting five openings a year in the 14-strong Brunning & Price (B&P) pub business it bought for £32m last year.
TRG has decided to retain Brunning & Price's headquarters in Saighton, Chester - and founder Graham Price (pictured, right, with Jerry Brunning) will continue to work in the business two or three days a week.
Angelo Gabrilatsou, of the Restaurant Group, has been appointed to the B&P board to work alongside Price.
A spokesman for B&P said: "He will be the direct link between B&P and TRG, with the aim being to combine his experience with that of Graham's, and form a team to best work out how to grow the company without sacrificing quality.
"What is excellent for everyone is that with the extra resources and financial clout of TRG behind us, we will be able to expand at a faster rate than at present - nothing loony, but two or three openings in the first year and maybe five or so a year after that."
B&P founder Jerry Brunning and Graham Price have been friends with Andrew Page, the chief executive of TRG for several years. "He's been an enthusiastic fan of the Hand and Trumpet, which is his father's local, since its opening," said the company spokesman.
"He understands what it is that makes B&P tick, and why customers and staff alike are so enthusiastic about our pubs, and is desperately keen not to upset those things that have made us successful in the first place."
Brunning & Price is the only pub company to win the Good Pub Guide award for Pub Group of the Year on three separate occasions.
