Marston's to open first 'Magnum' pub
Marston's managed division, Inns & Taverns, is to open its first managed pub in a larger format it calls "Magnum", at a location in Dover this month.
The new pub will be called the Kittiwake and will cater for 180 diners. It is one of more than 60 currently being built by the company as part of a drive to provide top-quality pubs across Britain.
Marston's is rolling out two types of new-build pub: a total of 45 "Core Model" pubs will be built at an average cost of £2m. The trading area will be around 3,200sq ft, which is 33% larger than the average managed pub of 2,400sq ft.
The "Magnum Model" is a larger scale version with a trading area of 4,800sq ft and an average cost of £2.8m. Due to the economies of scale, the larger format delivers superior returns and margins.
Meanwhile, Marston's has also applied for planning consent to open a £2m pub, with 180 covers, on the outskirts of St Ives in Cambridgeshire.
