The owner of Coppa Club and Noci expects to complete the acquisition of four sites on or around 23 March, with terms also agreed to potentially acquire a fifth venue.
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The initial sites include Wild Thyme & Honey in the Cotswolds, The Hare & Hounds in Berkshire, The Stag on the River in Surrey and The Wellington Arms in Hampshire. A fifth venue, The Queen’s Head in Surrey, could also join the portfolio subject to an asset of community value process.
Four of the five pubs are freehold, with The Wellington Arms held on a long leasehold.
The sites will continue trading under their existing names and identities, with Various Eateries saying it intends to retain the character and positioning of each venue.
The acquisition values the four sites at £11.25m and will be funded through new debt financing and existing resources. The group has secured a £15m facility with HSBC to support the deal and wider growth plans.
Based on unaudited figures provided by Grosvenor, the four venues generated combined revenue of about £10.5m in the 52 weeks to 28 December 2025, with site level EBITDA of about £1.5m.
New brand
The sites will form a new operating brand, The Linwood Collection, focused on premium pubs with rooms alongside the group’s existing concepts.
Mark Loughborough, chief executive of Various Eateries, said the deal represented an important step in the company’s development.
“Linwood marks an important step in the evolution of the group. We are bringing into the business a small collection of premium pubs with rooms that have earned their reputations the right way, through great hospitality, careful attention to detail and a real sense of place,” he said.
“They are destinations with loyal followings, and our priority is straightforward. Protect what people already love about them and build from there.”
‘Strong potential’
Loughborough said the group saw strong potential in the premium pubs with rooms model.
“Premium pubs with rooms combine food and drink with accommodation and a broader, destination led appeal. Done well, that mix can deliver resilience and attractive economics, and we believe these sites have the quality to do exactly that,” he said.
He added the group believed its operating platform could help improve performance across the sites through group purchasing, systems and training.
Grosvenor Pubs was named Best Accommodation Operator at the Publican Awards 2023, with Wild Thyme & Honey in Cirencester and The Hare & Hounds in Newbury highlighted for combining boutique hotel style with high quality pub food and drinks while retaining the character of a traditional British pub.
Various Eateries also confirmed it intends to rename the business Coppa Collective to reflect its evolution into a broader hospitality platform.
