Wear Inns to add five new venues to estate

Pub chain Wear Inns is set to expand its portfolio with the opening of two new bars and the takeover of three more in the pipeline.

The North-east-based company has built up a nine-strong portfolio of pubs since its launch in 2006 and has announced plans to increase this to more than 20 sites.

Wear Inns is about to conclude deals with Spirit (part of the Punch group) for the Guidepost at Springwell, Tyne & Wear, and the New Inn at Wetherby, Yorkshire. The group is also looking at venues in North Tyneside and Sunderland which it hopes conclude by the end of August.

Managing director John Weir, who worked for Mitchell and Butlers for 31 years before setting up Wear Inns with former Pubmaster boss John Sands, said he plans to have 12 pubs by the end of the year.

"We have a good business model and we want to continue to grow," he told The Journal.

Weir added that the key to the company's success is its emphasis on creating community venues with keen prices.

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By Emma White

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