Two pub companies enter administration

Mitchell’s of Lancaster (Brewers) Limited and York Brewery Co. Limited entered administration on December 12, 2018 and have put up their pubs for sale in the process.

Business advisers Duff & Phelps have been called in to handle the administration process, with partners Steven Muncaster and Sarah Bell appointed as joint administrators.

The partners cited a loss in interest in pub visits, paired with increasing business and employment costs, as the reason for the downfall of the companies.

Muncaster, the managing director of Duff & Phelps Manchester, commented on the administration, saying: “The UK pub sector has suffered sustained adversity over the last decade, with the latest ONS statistics showing that nearly a quarter of pubs have closed since 2008, with the majority of these closures being small pubs.

“This troubled landscape, coupled with rising business rates, increased minimum wage and the continued uncertainty surrounding Brexit, has created difficult conditions for pubs across the UK. As such, the owners were left with no alternative but to put the company into administration.”

The administrators are actively looking for buyers but have ensured that the companies’ venues will continue to trade in the meantime.

In December 2008, Mitchell’s of Lancaster acquired York Brewery in a bid to expand its operations, and continued to operate the company as a separate entity.

Operating across Lancashire, Mitchell’s of Lancaster runs 10 pubs including The Black Horse Inn which was founded in 1871 and The Station Hotel.

Similarly, York Brewery runs four public houses including Mr Foley’s Tap House and The Three Legged Mare. Muncaster, however, commented that: “While York Brewery is a popular destination for both locals and tourists, the company has unfortunately continued to face cashflow pressures as a result of difficult conditions which are affecting the leisure industry and pubs across the country.”

He encouraged interested parties to come forth for the purchase of both companies.

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