It’s being reported that Stonegate Group is considering the sale of more than 1,000 pubs — almost a quarter of its estate — to reduce debt.
The sale would focus on pubs in Stonegate’s so-called platinum collection, its finest properties. The value of these pubs, which are all freehold premises, could be as high as £1 billion.
Owned by private equity firm TDR Capital, Stonegate acquired Ei in 2019 to make it the largest pub owner in the UK. But in recent years, especially since Covid, it, like other companies, has become weighed down by debt.
The sale would be part of new chief executive David McDowell’s transformation plan. This aims to return the company to profit after it posted a £214m losslast year.
