Liberation Group rebrands amid plans for 700 rooms

Liberation Group has rebranded to the Butcombe Group as it leans further into its pubs with rooms business.

 

While the Butcombe Group still consists of Butcombe Pubs & Inns, Butcombe Brewing Co, Butcombe Boutique Inns, Liberation Pubs & Bars and Liberation Brewing Co, the pub operator said the Butcombe arm of the business will now be considered its “main driver of growth”.

 

Over the past seven years, the group has expanded through acquisitions from Brains, Wadworth and Cirrus Inns across the south of England.

 

It operates more than 400 rooms, with plans for this to almost double to more than 700 across its existing estate.

 

The group is also in the process of consolidating its premium room offering with the launch of Butcombe Boutique Inns earlier this year. 

 

For the year ended 27 January 2024, Butcombe Group reported total revenue of £144.4m, an increase of 20% compared to the same period FY23. 

 

It added that its London portfolio is performing particularly strongly, reporting double-digit growth in the capital for the past 12 weeks, with the same growth for Christmas trading compared to last year.

 

Jonathan Lawson, chief executive of Butcombe Group, said: “The Butcombe brand has quickly established itself as a leader in the premium pubs and drinks business. Following a period of successful expansion, it is now the largest part of our business and the area where the majority of our growth is likely to come from.

 

“Adopting Butcombe as our corporate brand is the logical next step and will support our exciting plans for future development. The Channel Islands will continue to remain an important part of our business and growth plans, operating unchanged under the Liberation brands.”

 

Butcombe Group owns a portfolio of 120 pubs and inns with 400 rooms across the UK.