Thornbridge takes Enterprise free of cask tie lease
Enterprise Inns has launched its first free-of-tie on cask ale lease — teaming up with Thornbridge Brewery at the Greystones in Sheffield.
The brewer will be tied on lagers, wines and soft drinks but will be free to supply its own cask beer to the pub in a move that mirrors Everards Project William.
The Greystones, formerly the Highcliffe, has undergone a comprehensive refurbishment —the majority of which has been supported by Enterprise Inns.
"When Thornbridge brewery entered into discussion with Enterprise Inns on a new model for running a pub leasehold there was some concern that the approach would not fit with existing models and be dismissed," said Thornbridge director Simon Webster.
"But from our first discussion we were encouraged by Enterprise Inns to think outside the norms of other leases we hold with them and develop an innovative win, win approach."
Duncan Marsden of Enterprise Inns said: "The level of the financial resource shows our commitment to this type of model.
"The refurbishment has involved successful tripartite work with Enterprise and Thornbridge as partner customers taking a design concept and turning it into high quality finished pub delivered on time and to budget — a tremendous success for all involved."
New agreements
Enterprise chief operating officer Simon Townsend added: "We redesigned our tenancy agreements and launched them in July and this is the first that we've concluded. We're looking for brewers who want to extend their business into the retail side and who understand the local marketplace.
"Thornbridge was able to demonstrate to us that it had a real passion for developing the retail proposition of the site. It's created something really different here and we're extremely excited about it."
Townsend is set to reveal more details of the agreement at the Society of Independent Brewers' (SIBA) pub retailing conference, run in association with the Morning Advertiser, on 16 November.
SIBA chief executive Julian Grocock welcomed the move. "We have waited with some anticipation to see which of our brewers would be the first to take the decision to enter into the new-style agreement.
"Thornbridge, which in just a few years of operation has built an impressive business founded on quality, innovation and vision, is an ideal partner to work with Enterprise to prove that this is a real and worthwhile evolution of the lease market."
