TIDMSHEP
RNS Number : 4647Q
Shepherd Neame Limited
29 November 2016
Tuesday 29th November 2016
SHEPHERD NEAME LIMITED ACQUIRES VILLAGE GREEN RESTAURANTS
LIMITED
Shepherd Neame, the Kent-based brewer, pub and hotel operator,
today announces the acquisition of Village Green Restaurants
Limited from Alex and Helen Bensley for a total consideration of
GBP11.85m.
Village Green Restaurants Limited operates five freehold pub
restaurants in and around Maidstone and Ashford in the company's
Kent heartland. All the pub restaurants will be operated under
Shepherd Neame's managed pub division. The last audited accounts
for the year ending 31 October 2015 for the company showed annual
turnover of GBP6.6m and operating profit of GBP0.9m.
These pub restaurants enjoy an excellent reputation for food
quality and service. This acquisition is in line with the company's
strategy to acquire high quality sites with unique character in
landmark or high profile locations and to develop its offer to
enhance the customer experience through great fresh food.
At the same time, the company's existing revolving credit
facility has been extended by GBP25m to GBP45m taking total
committed banking facilities to GBP105m.
Jonathan Neame, Chief Executive of Shepherd Neame said:
"We are delighted to welcome the team from Village Green
Restaurants Limited to Shepherd Neame.
"Over recent years we have transformed our pub profile, greatly
developed our food offer and enhanced the experience for our
customers and this is another important development in our
strategy.
"We are hugely impressed by what Alex and Helen and their team
have achieved and we look forward to continuing their great
work."
Alex Bensley, Chief Executive of Village Green Restaurants
said:
"Helen and I are proud of the business we have built and
delighted to pass the baton to a local, longstanding family
business such as Shepherd Neame."
For further information, please contact:
Shepherd Neame Limited
Jonathan Neame, Chief Executive Tel: 01795
Mark Rider, Finance and IT Director 532206
Kreab
Christina Clark / Anna Gustafsson Tel: 020
7074 1800
/ 07776 171
210
Regional and Trade Media Contact:
John Humphreys Tel: 01795 542051
/ 07793 294 469
Note: The Directors of Shepherd Neame Limited accept
responsibility for this announcement.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
Shepherd Neame is Britain's oldest brewer. Established in 1698
and based in Faversham, Kent it employs around 1,300 people.
The pub restaurants acquired are:
-- The Oak on the Green, Bearsted
-- The Fish on the Green, Bearsted
-- The Old Mill, Kennington
-- The Chequers on the Green, High Halden
-- The Swan and Dog, Great Chart
The Company retails its own beers, on draught and in bottles,
under a range of highly successful brand names, including:
- Spitfire: One of the leading premium bottled ales in the UK
with national distribution on draught (4.2% abv) and in bottle
(4.5% abv). Spitfire Gold, a golden ale (4.1% abv), was launched to
mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and Spitfire
Lager, the Lager of Britain (4.0% abv) has been launched in
2016.
- Whitstable Bay: This range, sold under the Faversham Steam
Brewery brand, includes a Pale Ale on draught (3.9% abv) and in
bottle (4% abv), an Organic Ale (4.5% abv), Blonde Lager (4.5%
abv),Black Oyster Stout (4.2%) and Red IPA (4.5% abv).
- Bishops Finger: Connoisseur premium ale (5.4% abv).
- Master Brew: The 'Original Kentish Ale' is a well-hopped cask ale (3.7% abv).
The Company also brews lagers under license, including:
- Asahi Super Dry: Japan's number one beer (5% abv), which is
produced under an exclusive UK license for brewing, sales and
marketing.
- Samuel Adams Boston Lager: Leading US craft lager (4.8% abv)
brewed under an exclusive license from the Boston Beer Company. The
Company also imports Rebel IPA, a strong hopped US craft beer (6.5%
abv) and Angry Orchard, America's No. 1 Hard Cider (5%).
Shepherd Neame sold 246,000 brewers' barrels of beer (71.0
million pints) including 211,000 brewers' barrels of own brewed
beer (60.6 million pints) in the last year. The majority of these
sales were made in the UK although the Company also exports to more
than 35 countries.
At the year end, the Company operated 328 pubs, of which 267
were tenanted or leased, 7 were held as investment properties under
commercial free of tie leases, and 54 managed. The pub estate
ranges from inns and hotels to destination dining, great
traditional and local community pubs.
Shepherd Neame's shares are traded on the ISDX Growth Market.
See http://www.isdx.com/ for further information and the current
share price.
For further information on the Company, see
www.shepherdneame.co.uk.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
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November 29, 2016 11:08 ET (16:08 GMT)