Peach buys 18th pub

Pub firm Peach has bought its 18th pub, the 100-cover Duke of Wellington in East Horsley in Surrey.

The firm took over the site by the assignment of an existing lease from the Star Pub Company and Peach acquired the pub for an undisclosed premium.

Announcing the deal, Peach property director Simon Bishop said: "We are excited about the new acquisition and about bringing another great pub into the Peach fold. We managed to complete the purchase in just five weeks, from identification to completion and are looking for further opportunities to acquire others with our recent funding from NatWest.

"We'll be completely refurbishing The Duke of Wellington in February of next year and getting it back to a great gastro pub. Following substantial investment it will reopen before the end of that month as a great spot to enjoy good food and drink on the outskirts of the village," he added.

The Duke of Wellington will be the second pub for Peach partner Jordan Marr, who also oversees The Chequers in Eversley Cross a short distance away.

Peach was founded 15 years ago when Lee Cash and Hamish Stoddart bought the Rose and Crown in Warwick.

Since 2005, it has been financed by NatWest and in May this year the company announced that it had secured £9.5m from NatWest in refinance and acquisition facilities.

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