Bulldog Hotel Group rebrands in bid to become sector leader

Independent hotel operator Bulldog Hotel Group has rebranded as The Coaching Inn Group as part of its aim to become the number one operator of regional inns in the country.

The Boston-headquartered company has grown from two to eight sites since launching in 2007 and is planning to expand its UK estate to 15 sites over the next five years after receiving a £20m investment from the Commer Group in January.

Kevin Charity, founder and managing director of The Coaching Inn Group, said that the name change gave the market a ‘clear signal’ regarding the company’s sector leadership ambitions.

“We have a very clear strategy for acquiring high quality coaching inns in busy market towns and revitalising them in order to compete against a backdrop of ever-improving food, drink and accommodation offers across the UK,” he said.

“The traditional Coaching Inn continues to be the key hospitality venue in a large number of towns across the country and the sector continues to provide excellent opportunities for growth and investment. The name change is a clear statement of intent to stay true to that model in keeping casual dining at the heart of what we do while continuing to expand our increasing portfolio of bedrooms.”

Andrew Guy, founder of Frankie & Benny’s and chief executive of Ed’s Easy Diner, was recently appointed non-executive chairman of the group.

The Coaching Inn Group has secured an additional £4.5m investment from the Business Growth Fund to support its £20m expansion across England, has also been named named one of the London Stock Exchange Group’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain.