Pub and hotel investment specialist makes two “first-class” Midlands acquisitions

RedCat Pub Company, a London headquartered investment vehicle founded and chaired by Rooney Anand to invest in the UK pub sector, has announced its two latest acquisitions.

The group has acquired The Meynell Ingram Arms and The Cock Inn Mugginton from Berkeley Inns Limited, the multi-award-winning, Derbyshire based gastropub operator.

The Meynell Ingram Arms Hotel was re-opened by Berkeley Inns in 2019. This historic Staffordshire pub was closed for over five years and the property has undergone a “major but sympathetic” refit and redesign. Further, the transformed Sam’s bar has become an on-trend bar/restaurant showing major sporting events.

The Cock Inn, at Mugginton in Derbyshire, was reopened in 2016 having been extended and renovated. Berkeley Inns has transformed this historic venue into a “first-class” traditional pub with a “modern cutting edge”. Since its re-opening, there has reportedly been extremely strong demand from the public.

The pub has over 120 dining covers, serves up to 2,000 freshly made meals per week and receives “outstanding feedback” from customers. RedCat has grown strongly since inception in February 2021, having acquired over 100 pubs and pub hotels, now amounting to a hotel room estate of over 1,200 rooms.

RedCat aims to provide the operational expertise and capital investment pubs need to get back on their feet and accelerate their growth, as the sector recovers from the pandemic. The company’s approach is said to be “highly flexible”, allowing it to acquire single pub assets, all the way through to larger-scale businesses and pub companies.

The sale was brokered by Neil Morgan of Christie & Co, acting on behalf of RedCat.

Howard Thacker, managing director of Berkeley Inns, commented: “We acquired the Meynell and Cock Inn when both had been closed for 5 and 10 years, respectively and following much renovation and extension, gave them new life. Both are now fantastic and bustling pubs serving their local communities and visitors from afar.

Rooney Anand, executive chairman, RedCat Pub Company, added: “RedCat continues to go from strength-to-strength, and I’m pleased we’ve added The Meynell Ingram Arms and The Cock Inn to our growing portfolio. The team is continuing to source high-calibre sites in excellent locations as we build out our estate of leading pubs and pub hotels.”