Punch Pub Company has appointed two new estate development managers, Neil Findlay and Gary Wild, to aid its multimillion pound pub acquisitions programme.
Punch’s director of acquisitions, Neil Griffiths, said it was an exciting time for new recruits to be joining the business.
“Since August last year we have spent circa £1.5million per week on acquisitions, which equates to almost one new pub for every working day,” he said.
“We have purchased individual properties directly from freeholders, while other pubs came as packages, and the expansion drive has increased the total size of our estate to 4,300 outlets.
“To keep this momentum going we needed to strengthen our national acquisitions team. Neil and Gary both have extensive experience of acquiring licensed property and we are delighted to welcome them on board.”
Neil Findlay, from Glasgow, will oversee acquisitions in Scotland, while Gary Wild will cover north west England and north Wales from his base in Rochdale.
Their aim is to ensure Punch Pub Company is the first port of call for anyone looking to sell their pub.
Neil joins Punch from Scottish and Newcastle Pub Enterprises, where he spent a year and a half as acquisitions manager for the tenanted side of the business in Scotland and Northumberland. Prior to that, he worked with licensed property agent Christie and Co for six years.
He said: “The Scottish leased and tenanted pub market is in its infancy and there are still a large number of freeholders operating there.
“Punch Pub Company currently has 331 pubs in Scotland and I will be looking to build on that total in my new role either through straightforward acquisitions or sale and leaseback agreements.”
Gary has more than 25 years of agency experience, including 12 years dealing solely with licensed property.
He said: “Changing to an operations role with Punch marks a major shift in focus for my career and I am really looking forward to the challenge.
“This region has a wide range of outlets, from destination pubs in Cheshire and the Lakeland areas to traditional Lancashire and Merseyside locals, and there is real scope for Punch to increase its presence.”
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