The group, which operates pubs across Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Norfolk and Buckinghamshire, said future growth would be selective and dependent on finding sites that fit its existing model.
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Aman Shrestha, of Lapen Inns, told the Morning Advertiser (MA): “We are open to suitable opportunities, and our approach is selective. We would be interested in sites where we can see a clear fit between the community, the pub itself and what Lapen Inns can bring.”
The operator took on the White Horse Inn earlier this month following the Grade II listed village pub’s closure in March.
Lapen Inns said it planned to retain the venue’s identity as a village local while developing its food and hospitality offer.
Shrestha said the group would continue to assess the investment required, trading potential and operational demands of any future site before committing to further growth.
“Any opportunity has to make sense operationally and financially. We need a realistic understanding of the investment required, confidence in the trading potential and the right team to deliver it.”
Growing the estate
Lapen Inns began with the Railway in Whittlesey in 2021, combining Nepalese food with a traditional pub offer.
The estate subsequently expanded to include sites such as the Bell in Sawtry, the Old Crown in Girton, the Corner House in Cambridge and the Old School House in Stony Stratford.
Shrestha said the aim had been to retain the identity of each pub while introducing a consistent approach to food, service and operations.
“We want customers to feel they are visiting their own local, with its own history, atmosphere and place in the community. The group gives us shared standards for food, hospitality and how we look after the business. Each pub then needs room to respond to its own customers through its events, spaces and everyday atmosphere.”
Nepalese food remains a common feature across the estate, alongside more familiar pub food and drink.
Shrestha added the group was particularly interested in villages, market towns and established residential areas where pubs could serve a range of occasions.
“We like places where a venue can serve several purposes: somewhere for a drink after work, a family meal, a celebration, live sport or a local gathering,” he said.
Investment priorities
Investment across the estate is considered on a site-by-site basis, with priorities ranging from kitchens and building condition to gardens and customer spaces.
The Queen Elizabeth in King’s Lynn, for example, benefited from a £100,000 refurbishment by Star Pubs when Lapen Inns took on the lease.
The group has also invested in its digital infrastructure, including a refreshed website and booking, feedback and loyalty platforms.
Shrestha said investment decisions were ultimately focused on making pubs easier to use while strengthening the customer experience.
“For us, investment includes all those details that make a visit easier, from finding the pub online to booking a table and feeling valued as a regular,” he said.
Lapen’s longer-term aim is to build a sustainable group while continuing to invest in its existing estate.
Shrestha said: “Our ambition is to build a sustainable group of pubs that their communities value and that our teams are proud to work in. We want Lapen Inns to be recognised for good Nepalese food, a warm welcome and well-run pubs that keep their individual character.”
He added the business would continue to consider new opportunities, but expansion would be guided by what the existing estate and management team could support.
“Over time, we would like to bring that approach to more suitable communities, at a pace the business can support.”
