Brasserie Blanc moves into pubs

The company, which was founded by Raymond Blanc, has signed new long-term rental deals on the King's Head in Teddington and the Queen's Head in Weybridge.

It plans to invest a significant sum in both sites - up to £1m in the Teddngton location and around £500,000 at Weybridge.

While it intends to install its brasserie menu into both sites, it aims to operate the new venues as pubs, retaining a significant bar trade.

The sites were previously operated by Massive Group, the pub company led by Peter Linacre.

They then became part of a company called Glasshouse after the collapse of Massive, although Glasshouse was placed in administration itself soon after. The two properties have been in the hands of administrators for about two years.

French influence​

Regular customers of the two pubs will be used to French-influenced food: under Massive, the King's Head and Queen's Head included a restaurant under its L'Auberge French dining offer.

Brasserie Blanc recently raised just under £4m from existing investors​, including Core Capital, to fund expansion.

It is led day-to-day by John Lederer, managing director. Other directors include Mark Derry and Ian Glynn, the former Loch Fyne executives.

It currently operates eight restaurants, located in: Bristol, Cheltenham, the City, Leeds, Milton Keynes, Oxford, Portsmouth and Winchester. Last year it closed two sites - in Manchester and Tunbridge Wells.

Mark Stretton is editor of BigHospitality's sister title M&C Report.​​