Joule's Brewery adds 14th pub to estate

Joule's Brewery has added a fourteenth pub to its estate, with the purchase of Punch pub the Duke of York in Lichfield, Staffordshire.

The site was bought for an undisclosed sum and will be supplied by the firm's new brewery, which is being built in Market Drayton, Shropshire. Joule's hopes to complete building here by the end of the year, and bring back its own beer, which has not been brewed for 30 years.

This is the latest regional brewer to take advantage of Punch sales, following Shepherd Neame and Robinsons among others.

This has been a busy year for Joule's who secured planning consent for its new flagship brewery and acquired nine additional pubs in the last 12 months.

Marie Poole, who heads up the company's pub estate said: "We are thrilled to have got the keys to the Duke of York, it is an ancient inn and wonderfully preserved as a real classic. We plan to polish it up as our Lichfield brewery house where it will fly the flag for us. Lichfield is on the edge of our core area but still within the hour and Joule's used to have a presence in the town so we hope it will be warmly received."

The firm plans to reopen the pub later this year. It is currently refurbishing the Fox & Hounds in Cheswardine, Shrops, which is scheduled to reopen in the late summer. The Cock Inn, at Leek, Staffs, reopened last month. Pool said: "It has got off to a very good start so if we can repeat that success we will be very pleased indeed."