Heartwood Collection snaps up two Whitbread pubs

Heartwood Collection has snapped up two former Whitbread pubs as part of its ongoing expansion drive.

The group has acquired the George and Dragon in Marlow and the Red Lion in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Both sites are close to Premier Inn hotels and have been sold off as part of Whitbread’s bid to downsize its pub and restaurant arm.

Under Heartwood’s ownership, the pubs will undergo multi-million pound refurbishments with the George and Dragon set to relaunch as Heartwood’s seventh pub with rooms in 2025.

Heartwood was formed out of the Brasserie Bar Co business in 2023 and operates 25 Heartwood Inns pubs and 14 Brasserie Blanc restaurants across the UK.

Its new acquisitions will join seven other sites set to open over the next 12 months. Heartwood is looking to grow to over 60 sites by 2027 with the help of a £100m funding package secured last year.

The George and Dragon’s 17 bedrooms will be transformed into boutique-style spaces while the bar and dining room will seat 250 indoor and outdoor covers.

As the Red Lion is a listed building located close to the home of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Heartwood said it would be “sympathetically” renovated to create 175 indoor covers across the bar and dining room and 200 external seats.

Richard Ferrier, chief executive of Heartwood Collection, said: “We have real momentum in our acquisition programme at present and a busy 12 months ahead.”