Abervale Holdings buys food-led pub in Berkshire

Abervale Holdings is the new owner of the Queen's Arms, a food-led country pub with rooms in the Berkshire village of East Garston.

The L-shaped property lies in the Lambourn Valley (a prosperous racehorse training centre) and generates one-third of its £365,000 net turnover from wet sales..

It comprises a 40-seat restaurant with French windows onto the garden patio and a 36-seat bar. The bar has low ceilings, exposed timbers and brickwork, a large brick surround fireplace and a bar/servery along most of one side of the room.

The first floor holds five staff rooms, of which four are en-suite while the fifth has a private bathroom.

Abervale specialises in "boutique English pubs with rooms," according to director Ashley Levett, once a controlling shareholder in Hotel du Vin.

The company owns two other properties, both in Hampshire - the Peat Spade at Longstock in the Test Valley and the Anchor at Lower Froyle near Alton. Both are operated by Miller's Collection, which will also run the Queen's Arms.

The Cirencester office of Colliers Robert Barry sold the freehold off an asking price of £795,000.

By Angela Frewin