Appetite for leasehold pubs is healthy

The appetite for quality leasehold pubs remains healthy, despite current gloomy predictions for the economic health of landlords, a property specialist has urged.

Christie & Co made the statement after revealing that it had let over half of 47 leases put on the market by Marston's Pub Company in just over three months.

Neil Morgan, head of pubs at Christie & Co, said: "Despite the doom and gloom currently being whipped up around the market, these lettings show that the appetite for quality leasehold pubs remains healthy.

"The pubs that we still have available have also attracted strong interest and we are confident that they will be successfully let over the next few months."

The majority of pubs have been offered on 10 to 20 year tied assignable leases.

Gill Richardson, head of business opportunities at Marston's Pub Company, said he was extremely optimistic about the future of its tenanted businesses and the ability to attract quality operators.

Last week Mark Brumby, leisure analyst at Blue Oar Securities, predicted that tenanted pubs could see profits fall by a massive 90% in the next year.

Businesses need to analyse how they make money to service slowdown >>
Enterprise dishes out £3.5m of support for struggling publicans >>

Pubs must battle back as sales fall and costs rise >>

By Christopher Walton

E-mail your comments to Christopher Walton here.