Brasserie Bar Co to become Heartwood Collection as it eyes expansion in premium pub sector

Brasserie Bar Co, behind the Brasserie Blanc and the White Brasserie Co brands, is to rebrand as the Heartwood Collection, as it looks to expand its presence in the premium pub sector.

The group, which was founded by Mark Derry and chef Raymond Blanc, was acquired by Alchemy Partners for an undisclosed sum in early 2022.

It operates 20 pubs and 14 Brasserie Blanc restaurants and has ambitions to reach 60 sites encompassing up to 500 bedrooms by 2027. It has already acquired 11 freehold pubs, with a further five under offer, incorporating 120 bedrooms.

As a result of the group’s refocus its pub arm, White Brasserie Company, will become Heartwood Inns from 6 July.

The group has confirmed chairman Derry and managing director Richard Ferrier will remain in place, while Blanc will continue to direct the group’s culinary offering.

Derry said: “As Heartwood Collection, our offer will be grounded in a winning combination of serving premium quality food in atmospheric pubs. More than this, we see real opportunity to leverage our hospitality expertise and become a significant operator of pubs-with-rooms, filling that current gap in the market for memorable boutique stays – at the right price.

“This is the right time for us to make this change. Our new name reflects not only the business we are today, but it underlines the ambition we have to become a leading freehold pub business of real scale.

“With the ongoing support of our new owners Alchemy, we will continue to target the opening of new sites, and I look forward to bringing Heartwood’s pub offer to new towns and local communities throughout the UK.”

Ferrier added: “Having experienced a difficult period of not being able to visit their favourite pubs and restaurants during the pandemic, the British public has emerged with a strong desire to eat, drink and take time away in ways that offer quality, reliability and value.

“It is against this backdrop that we are becoming Heartwood Collection. We have a proven and attractive pub offer underpinned by skilled-chefs and warm hospitality. It is an offer that our guests love, and in Heartwood Collection, we have a clear platform to achieve accelerated growth in the years ahead.

“We are already making good progress on growing our pipeline of new sites and we look forward to welcoming regular and new guests through our doors – as well as welcoming new colleagues to the pubs we open.”

Recent acquisitions include the Black Swan in Henley in Arden, Warwickshire, which will open in August, and the former George Evelyn pub in Long Ditton, Surrey, planned to open later in 2023.

The group has also exchanged on the 23-bedroom the White Hart in Lewes, East Sussex.