Coppa Club owner adds four pubs to its portfolio
Various Eateries PLC, the restaurant operator of Coppa Club and Noci, is set to buy a portfolio of pubs with rooms from Grosvenor Pubs & Inns for £11.25m.
The group says it expects to complete the acquisition of four sites by 23 March 2026, with a further agreement in place to potentially acquire a fifth pub from Red Lion Holdings, the owner of Grosvenor Pubs & Inns.
The four pubs that form the deal are Wild Thyme & Honey (Cotswolds, pictured); The Hare & Hounds (Berkshire); The Stag on the River (Surrey) and The Wellington Arms (Hampshire). The potential fifth site is The Queen's Head (East Clandon, Surrey).
The Queen's Head is subject to an 'asset of community value' process, meaning the acquisition of that site cannot exchange until the relevant statutory notification and moratorium period has expired, which is expected to take at least six weeks.
On completion, the acquired sites will form a third operating brand for Various Eateries called The Linwood Collection. However, with the addition of pubs to its portfolio, the Mark Loughborough-led business plans to change its name to Coppa Collective.
An important step
"Linwood marks an important step in the evolution of the group," says Loughborough. "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. They are destinations with loyal followings, and our priority is straightforward: protect what people already love about them and build from there.
"This is also a format we know well and rate highly in the current market. 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. We believe our operating platform can help them perform even more consistently over time, through the disciplines we have been strengthening across the group, from purchasing and systems to training, standards and day-to-day execution.
"This acquisition is fully aligned with the approach we set out at our full-year results. We are building momentum, we have a clearer playbook and we are ready to act when high-quality opportunities arise on the right terms. Alongside Coppa Club and Noci, Linwood broadens the group in a way that fits our culture and our ambition. As Coppa Collective, we will be clearer about the breadth of what we are building, and I am excited to welcome new colleagues and new guests into the Group."
Various Eateries says it expects to fund the acquisition through new debt financing and existing resources. The group has secured a £15m debt facility with HSBC, comprising an £8m three-year term facility with a seven-year amortisation profile and a £7m revolving credit facility.
