Heartwood Collection snaps up two further pubs in expansion push

The Heartwood Collection has snapped up two further pubs with rooms as part of its ambitious expansion.

The group, formerly named Brasserie Bar Co, has acquired the Rope & Anchor in Emsworth Hampshire and the Coat & Bear in Newbury, Berkshire.

It will see a further 69 bedrooms added to the Heartwood Inns estate and forms part of the company’s plan to grow to over 60 inns and brasseries by June 2027, with a portfolio of over 500 bedrooms.

The Rope & Anchor, formerly the Brookfield Hotel, features 43 bedrooms and will undergo a major refurbishment to create a dining space with over 200 indoor covers and 60 outdoor seats.

The Coat & Bear is a new-build property with a listed Regency-era frontage and will feature a pub dining room with over 160 seats as well as 26 overnight bedrooms.

“The acquisition of these two fantastic sites serves to underline our ambition as a group and the momentum we are building,” said Richard Ferrier, managing director at Heartwood Collection.

“It’s an incredibly exciting time for us with 2024 set to be a transformational one for the group.”

In September, Heartwood Collection acquired the White Horse in Dorking with plans to reopen the pub in February 2024.

Other upcoming openings include the Plough & Harrow in Long Ditton, (December 2023), the Quill and Scholar in Lichfield (late January 2024), and the White Hart in Lewes (summer 2024).

Brasserie Bar Co was founded by chef Raymond Blanc and Mark Derry and was acquired by Alchemy Partners in early 2022. It rebranded as Heartwood Collection earlier this year and secured a £100m investment to expand in the premium pub sector.

The business operates 20 Heartwood Inns pubs and 14 Brasserie Blanc restaurants across the UK.

Derry, executive chairman at Heartwood Collection, told the Casual Dining Show in London last week that the team had hired "a lot of consultants" to help with the expansion due to their limited experience in the overnight accommodation market.