JW Lees opens 14th hotel and eyes more acquisitions

Manchester-based pub firm JW Lees is eyeing more acquisitions for its newly created hotels and inns division, after opening its 14th hotel last week.

The business launched the 20-bedroom Bluebird Inn at Samlesury near Blackburn on 26 April after a £1m refurbishment.

Named after Donald Campbell's record-breaking hydroplane, the K7 Bluebird, whose engine was built at the nearby Samlesbury engineering works, the pub was previously called the Boddington Arms before it was acquired by JW Lees from Greene King earlier this year.

At around the same time, the company also bought the 52-bedroom Stanneylands hotel from Mere, adding 72 more bedrooms to its managed business and taking the total number of bedrooms under company management to 287.

JW Lees has also recently reorganised to build capacity for more acquisitions, moving away from the traditional model of dividing the business into managed and tenanted pubs in favour of creating a ‘hotels and inns' division, and a ‘pubs' arm.

"These are exciting times at JW Lees and we look forward to continuing to grow our business."

The business has also invested in refurbishing the Alderley Edge hotel, the Anglesey Arms hotel at Menai Bridge, the Groes Inn in Conwy, the Huntsman Inn in Holmfirth, and the Trearddur Bay hotel, taking total investment in the business to £18m in the year to March 2018.

Pictured: Peter Toft, general manager of the Bluebird Inn, Christopher Lees-Jones, Gina Campbell (daughter of Donald Campbell, who pulled the first pint at the refurbished Bluebird), and William Lees-Jones.

Stanneylands hotel sold to Manchester pub operator >>

Stanneylands hotel sold to Mere golf resort for £4.15m >>

John Scott appointed general manager of Alderley Edge hotel >>

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