Marston's buys Rutland Pubs

Marston's has splashed out £5.5m on four food-led pubs owned by the Rutland Pub Company in Rutland, Warwickshire and Lincolnshire.

It sees Marston's take on a combined 340 covers in four pub restaurants as well as 29 bedrooms.

The brewer and pub operator will spend a combined £175,000 renovating the sites.

Marston's Pub Company operations director Andrew Andrea said: "This is a particularly exciting acquisition as these are proper pubs that are focused on great food and excellent service."

"Food is an increasingly important part of any pub business and the fact that all four pubs have successful restaurants makes them even more attractive," she added.

The four pubs are the Marquess of Exeter, near Uppingham in Rutland; the Blue Ball Inn in Braunston, Rutland; the Blue Boar Inn, Alcester, Warwickshire and the Hare & Hounds in Fulbeck, near Grantham.

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By Christopher Walton

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