Brakspear acquires first pub on a sale and lease back basis

Former owners Steve and Josie Slayford, who have run the pub together for 17 years, now become the lessees at the venue after the latest in a series of acquisitions for Brakspear.

Partnership​

The Slayfords were originally lessees before acquiring the freehold in 2009 and decided to sell up to be able to expand the business further.

"Selling to Brakspear gives us the best of both worlds," Steve said. "We continue to run the pub, which is what we love doing, but now we can invest in the business again. Brakspear’s designer has already started to work on a refurbishment, which will refresh the dining areas and give them a more informal feel."

The pair and Brakspear are now jointly funding a £50k renovation of the food-led venue which also has a traditional bar, five letting rooms and is popular with walkers to nearby Box Hill.

Brakspear​

Steve and Josie revealed they had received a number of expressions of interest in the pub but chose to go with Brakspear because of the balance of support and a level of autonomy that the partnership had proposed.

"We’re delighted to be adding The Running Horses to our estate," Tom Davies, Brakspear chief executive, said.

"It’s a great pub with a fine reputation, thanks to the sterling work by Steve and Josie over many years. With the forthcoming refurbishment, and other support we can offer them, we’re confident they will make the pub even more popular and successful."

This latest acquisition takes the expanding Brakspear estate to 148 and is the seventh purchase since July and the first new pub since the announcement the pubco had bought Fulham’s The Malt House which will now be let to Michelin-star chef and restaurateur Claude Bosi.​