Anand, who founded RedCat in 2021, will step down as founder and chair this summer, while chief executive Lewis and chief financial officer Mike Rothwell will also leave the business.
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The departures follow the sale of RedCat’s leased and tenanted pub division, alongside the disposal of its managed pub estate earlier this month, after the company first announced plans to exit the managed arm in January.
RedCat will now focus entirely on its 43 site Coaching Inn Group business, backed by majority shareholder Oaktree Capital.
Repositioning
The business said the changes had repositioned it as a focused premium pubs with rooms operator, backed by majority shareholder Oaktree Capital.
The Coaching Inn Group, which marks its 30th anniversary this year, has almost trebled in size over the past five years under RedCat ownership.
Led by managing director Adam Charity, the group plans to continue investing in its existing estate while pursuing selective acquisitions.
Anand said the creation and development of RedCat had been “hugely enjoyable, immensely challenging, and highly rewarding”.
He said: “Having established the business and built an operation that peaked at more than 120 pubs and inns, with annual revenues in excess of £130m and, in the past year, delivering record site EBITDA north of £21m, the time is now right for CIG to go on to even bigger and better things and for the RedCat Hospitality journey to come to a close.”
Lewis said highlights during his time at RedCat included the turnaround of RedCat Independent Pubs, investment into the estate and the growth of CIG into a £100m, 43 site pubs with rooms business.
He added: “I wish Adam Charity and the entire CIG team all the very best for their next chapter of growth and thank all those who supported me in the RedCat Hospitality business in my time here.”
Next chapter
The Coaching Inn Group was acquired by RedCat in August 2021, when it operated 18 sites. It now runs 43 sites and around 1,260 bedrooms, making it the UK’s fourth largest pubs with rooms operator.
The group returned to acquisitions last year with the purchase of the Warwick Arms Hotel and reported like for like sales growth of 5.3% for the year to March 2026.
Charity said: “It’s an honour to be leading the business as we embark on this next chapter of growth and to have the ongoing support of Oaktree Capital.
“We have a fantastic opportunity to build on everything we’ve achieved and to continue growing the business, while ensuring that everything we do reflects our ‘Hospitality from the Heart’ ethos.”
The update follows a period of dealmaking for RedCat, with Punch Pubs & Co acquiring 13 sites from RedCat across two transactions earlier this year.
