Hydes snaps up pub company

SALFORD brewery Hydes has acquired Chester company Woodward & Falconer Pub Co, which owns four pubs in a bid to expand its food-led destination business.

The deal was negotiated by law firm DWF, based in Manchester, with its team led by Frank Shephard and Darren Ormsby, assisted by Nick Hawthorne and Matt Judge in the corporate team. There was also support from Alasdair Mackinnon (banking) and David Frankland (real estate).

Hydes says the acquisition will increase opportunities for staff across all four sites, promote learning and improvement within the business and result in enhanced buying terms.

Woodward & Falconer was founded in 2001 and has built up a group of six food-led pubs in Chester, the Wirral and North Wales.

The deal  includes, The Goshawk and The Stamford Bridge near Chester, The Boathouse in Neston and The Golden Lion near Wrexham, with the remaining two pubs being extracted from the company to be retained by two companies owned by the vendors.

Frank Shephard, corporate partner at DWF, said: “We were delighted to advise Hydes Brewery on the significant acquisition that will further enhance its food-led destination business and deliver cost efficiencies across its growing portfolio of 11 food-led sites. We have a great corporate team in place with key expertise within the food and hospitality sector, and we look forward to working with Hydes in the future.”

Hydes Brewery’s managing director Chris Hopkins said: “This exciting acquisition represents an excellent strategic move for the business. We very much look forward to working with the highly capable teams at all four pubs as we continue to develop our food-led business.”