Two former colleagues who worked together at Mitchells & Butler and Whitbread have joined forces to start their new pub company. Innovation Pubs, run by Anthony Mitchell and Edward Willson, have purchased their first two pubs and are looking at further sites with the aim of operating up to eight pubs by the end of 2016.
Their first two pubs have been purchased from the Oxford office of national business agents Davey Co. They are The Bootlegger and The Sausage Tree, both in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.
Both were Enterprise Inns leases and sold off asking terms totalling £220,000 as a dual purchase.
The Bootlegger
The Bootlegger has an excellent reputation for its range of 20 international craft and 10 local cask ales, as well as its choice of 300 bottled beers and whiskies from around the world.
It offers a substantial and newly refurbished outside trading area, with direct access from the main building.
The Sausage Tree
The Sausage Tree is a food-led pub specialising in a superb selection of sausages and exotic meats, including zebra, buffalo and alpaca.
It has seating for 80 guests, and the pub also benefits from five letting bedrooms.
Both are set to undergo mini refurbishments which will not affect either pub continuing to trade.
Anthony Mitchell said: “Edward and I are delighted to have purchased our first two sites together. “We are looking to open more sites and believe that Innovation Pubs has an exciting future ahead.”
Davey Co Sales Director, Barry Alldread, said: “We are delighted that Innovation Pubs purchased their first pubs with us and we look forward to finding further suitable pubs for the company as they expand their operation.”