Shepherd Neame adds three pubs to London estate: Kent-based brewer and retailer Shepherd Neame has acquired three more pubs in the heart of London – the Samuel Pepys, the Savoy Tap and the Cheshire Cheese. Chief executive Jonathan Neame said: “We’re delighted to add these three historic, characterful London pubs to our portfolio. They represent our continuing investment in interesting and unique locations and our commitment to offering a great experience to our customers.” The Samuel Pepys in Stew Lane is Shepherd Neame’s first riverside pub in the city. It is housed in a converted tea warehouse and boasts a balcony with views across the Thames to Shakespeare’s Globe, Tate Modern and the Shard. The Savoy Tap is a “classic” London pub and occupies an historic spot in Savoy Street, just off the Strand, overlooking the Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy, the last remaining part of a hospital built by Henry VII. There has been a pub on the site of the Cheshire Cheese in Little Essex Street, Temple, since the 16th century and the current incarnation was created in 1928, built in the arts and crafts style. The Samuel Pepys and the Savoy Tap have already undergone significant refurbishment and the Cheshire Cheese will shortly benefit from significant further investment. This brings the total number of Shepherd Neame’s London pubs to 36 and the estate as a whole to 322, spread across London and the south east. These include London sites such as the Old Doctor Butler’s Head and the Jamaica Winehouse.

Hancock’s to open three Hampshire sites in fourth quarter to double estate: Hancock’s, the family-owned, Rochester-based restaurant group, is to open three outlets in Hampshire in the fourth quarter of 2018 to double its estate. The American kitchen and bar concept opened its first outlet in Chatham, Kent, in July 2017, showcasing an eclectic mix of classic and contemporary US dishes including gumbo, fajitas, dirty dogs and chicken and ribs smoked on-site. During the past three months, two further restaurants have been launched – in Camberley in Surrey and Maidstone in Kent – with all outlets trading well ahead of expectation, the company said. Now sites in Farnborough, Fareham and Eastleigh, each between 3,000 and 4,000 square feet and with seating for up to 150 diners, have been secured and are scheduled to open in the next three months. Hancock’s director David Chick said: “Initially our objective was to end the year with four sites across the south east. However, as the brand has grown so has the opportunity for expansion. The fact our Stateside-inspired, value-for-money concept has proved its ability to appeal to practically every demographic gives us the confidence to think bigger.” Chick said the company was also assessing the viability of a number of other potential sites across the country and expected to announce further openings early in the new year.