Liberation Group Rebrands as Butcombe Group to Focus on Pubs with Rooms Business.

The Butcombe Group will continue to encompass Butcombe Pubs & Inns, Butcombe Brewing Co, Butcombe Boutique Inns, Liberation Pubs & Bars, and Liberation Brewing Co. However, the company has announced that the Butcombe arm of the business will now be regarded as its “main driver of growth.”

Over the past seven years, the Butcombe Group has expanded its portfolio through acquisitions from Brains, Wadworth, and Cirrus Inns across the south of England.

The Butcombe Group currently operates over 400 rooms and has plans to nearly double this number to more than 700 across its existing estate.

The group is also consolidating its premium room offering with the launch of Butcombe Boutique Inns earlier this year.

For the year ended 27 January 2024, Butcombe Group reported a total revenue of £144.4m, marking a 20% increase compared to the same period in FY23.

The Butcombe Group also highlighted that its London portfolio is performing particularly well, reporting double-digit growth in the capital over the past 12 weeks, with the same growth seen during Christmas trading compared to last year.

Jonathan Lawson, chief executive of Butcombe Group, said: “The Butcombe brand has quickly established itself as a leader in the premium pubs and drinks business. Following a period of successful expansion, it is now the largest part of our business and the area where the majority of our growth is likely to come from.

“Adopting Butcombe as our corporate brand is the logical next step and will support our exciting plans for future development. The Channel Islands will continue to remain an important part of our business and growth plans, operating unchanged under the Liberation brands.”

Butcombe Group owns a portfolio of 120 pubs and inns with 400 rooms across the UK.