Brewery sells pubs in Ringwood and Christchurch

THREE pubs in Ringwood and Christchurch have been sold by the Wadworth Brewery.

The Fish Inn, High Corner and the Avon Causeway Hotel are among 21 pubs snapped up by the Liberation Group in the deal.

Announcing the move on Tuesday morning, Wadworth did not reveal the price involved and insisted the pubs would “continue to thrive under their new owners”.

Its chairman, Charles Bartholomew, said: “All Wadworth employees in the managed sites will transfer to Liberation under TUPE. I am in no doubt that these pubs will continue to thrive under their new ownership and remain central to the local communities that they serve.”

Jonathan Lawson, CEO of Liberation Group, said he was “delighted” with the move, adding: “We have worked closely with Wadworth to ensure that the sites we’re bringing into the Liberation Group family are the best fit for us and that the transition is smooth and successful.

“With the support of Caledonia, our ultimate shareholder, we look forward to maximising the opportunities we believe these sites present via a blended approach to the offer and environment of these pubs delivered by their great teams.”

On its website Liberation Group states it owns more than 100 pubs, bars and inns with rooms, across South West England and into the Channel Islands, employing over 900 people.

It operates the Channel-Island based Liberation Brewing Co, Butcombe Brewing Co, in Wrington, Bristol, and a huge distribution and bottling plant in Bridgwater, Somerset.