Charnwood Pub Company comes on the market: Charnwood Pub Company is to sell seven public houses within its estate and has instructed agent Matthew Phillips Surveyors to offer the properties to the market. The combined asking price is £4.9m – net sales are circa £3.8m and like-for-likes were up 9% in the most recent quarter. Charnwood was established in 2005 and operates a varied and individual estate of freehold businesses, throughout central England. The portfolio includes BBQ and Brews, a recently refurbished smokehouse bar and restaurant on the main circuit in Hereford, two coaching inns – The Lion Hotel in Buckden, Cambridgeshire, a 14 bedroom village centre unit and The Red Lion, Stretham near Ely, an 11 bedroom Inn – together with The Coach and Horses at Wellingborough, a very successful cask ale and cider house. Charnwood also operate two food-led houses. The Fortescue Arms at Billingborough is a quality characterful village centre food-led house and The Three Fyshes at Turvey, close to Bedford, which lies on the banks of The River Ouse. Finally, the Chequers is an attractive half timbered public house on the edge of Leominster town centre. Marc Craddock, managing director of Charnwood, said: “Charnwood has established a high quality estate of public houses over the last decade. In view of the improving market conditions and upward trading trend of the majority of the houses, the time is right to conclude an orderly sale to allow other operators to take the businesses to the next level.” Matt Phillips of Matthew Phillips Surveyors added: “The seven pubs are offered to the market as a package with consideration given to small groups and individual sales. These are a group of high quality businesses which will be attractive to Pub Cos, small and regional brewers, multiples and individual free-traders and investors.” Charnwood is funded by Albion Ventures.

JW Lees wins Northern Family Business of the Year: North-west brewer and retailer JW Lees has won the title of Northern Family Business of the Year 2015 in the national family business awards hosted by Family Business United. The awards ceremony took place in London where 18 family firms were recognised for their achievements. The Family Business of the Year Awards were created to celebrate the UK family business sector, to recognise the diversity of family firms across the country and to celebrate the contribution that they make. Paul Andrews, founder and managing director of FBU, and chairman of the judging panel, said: “JW Lees is an exemplary family firm that has clear values that are important to the family and pervade the entire business. The family have clearly demonstrated that this is a successful family business, owned by a happy family that has worked out how to balance the pressures of owning and running a business. Governance of the business is all about the ‘we’ culture and JW Lees will be great Northern ambassadors.” Sixth generation family member, Anna Griffin, JW Lees’ non-executive director and pensions secretary, said: “To be recognised for an award that highlights the importance of family run businesses is an honour to us. There were plenty of companies who would have made worthy winners so we couldn’t be any more pleased to be crowned as the Northern Family Business of the Year 2015.” Drew McNeil of Sandaire, sponsors of the Northern Family Business of the Year, added: “There are some amazing family firms in the North and the judging was not easy given the quality and calibre of the entrants this year. JW Lees were selected by the judges as the overall winners in this category for their advocacy of the sector, demonstrated values and successful balance of the family in, and with the business.”