Punch Taverns regained its position as the UK's biggest pub operator in 2007 with 8,546 outlets.

The next largest group was arch-rival Enterprise Inns with 7,714 pubs, which was toppled from the top slot when Punch re-acquired the Spirit Group. 

The key change among the top players since last year has been rapid growth of Admiral Taverns, which has more than doubled in size from 1,214 to 2,700 outlets to rise from sixth to third position in the league, and the demise of London and Edinburgh Inns, which was the eighth largest pub group last year with 795 venues before it fell into administration.

These figures are reported in British Hospitality: Trends and Statistics 2006, published by the British Hospitality Association.

 
The full report (which is free to BHA members) can be bought for £195 (for the printed version) or £146.25 (for a PDF file). For enquiries or orders, phone 0207 404 7744 or contact bob.bacon@bha.org.uk.

The top pub groups from the 2006 report can be viewed here >>




TOP PUB GROUPS IN THE UK, 2006-2007

	Owner	Outlets 2007	Outlets 2006	Selected brands
1	Punch Taverns	8,546	9,240
2	Enterprise Inns	7,714	8,652
3	Admiral Taverns	2,700	1,214
4	Marston's	2,258	2,544	Pitcher & Piano
5	Greene King	1,478	1,512
6	Mitchells & Butlers	1,351	1,389	Ember, Scream, O'Neills
7	Wellington Pub Co	838	851
8	JD Wetherspoon	657	646
9	Trust Inns	515	506
10	Frederic Robinson	385	394
11	Laurel Pub Company	331	401	Yates', Hogshead
12	Daniel Thwaites	301	424
13	GI Partners	254	-	Orchid Pubs
14	Pubfolio	250	782

Source: Horizons