Wed 5th Oct 2022 - Yummy sells flagship pub, two founding partners to leave Yummy sells flagship pub, two founding partners to leave: Yummy Pub Company has completed the sale of its flagship site, The Wiremill near Lingfield in Surrey, to independent family brewer Hall & Woodhouse. Founding partners Anthony Pender, Jason Rowlands and Tim Foster, who started the business in 2007, will now be pursuing separate projects following a successful 15-year partnership. Yummy Pub Company will rebrand to Yummy Collection, with Pender at the helm as founder, overseeing the Somers Town Coffee House and The Victoria at Mile End. Yummy Collection is aiming for rapid expansion, with a new site already under offer and investment funds in place for more sites in the future, as well as capex plans for its two existing sites. Pender’s plans include developing his strategy for working with key operational business partners such as Matt Ward, who is venue partner at The Victoria. Ward was the first team member to rise from bar to boardroom with Yummy, now owning a stake in The Victoria, and will continue as a key member of the management team. Pender said: “I have hugely enjoyed working with Tim and Jason over the last 15 years but am now looking forward to the future of the Yummy Collection, working with inspirational up-and-coming talent and expanding our portfolio of venues with new operational business partners. Despite the economic challenges, The Wiremill has continued to grow and develop into the hugely successful and iconic site it is today, and that is all down to the dedication, hard work and brilliance of the entire team. I know that its future will be just as bright as part of the Hall & Woodhouse family. Hospitality has always been in my blood, and I am so excited for the future of the Yummy Collection, working with bright new talent and building new concepts as we grow and expand an already exceptional business.” Mark James, property director at Hall & Woodhouse, said: “We are delighted to purchase The Wiremill, which is a fabulous waterside pub with rooms and a highly successful business created by Yummy Pubs. At Hall & Woodhouse, we continually look to evolve as a business by proactively managing our estate and investing in pubs of the future. This purchase is part of these plans to grow across the south of England by making high quality acquisitions such as The Wiremill, that complement and enhance our existing estate. We are excited for what the future holds for The Wiremill and warmly welcome the team to the H&W family.” Neil Morgan, senior director pubs & restaurants at Christie & Co, added: “It has been a privilege to work with the team for the last 15 years, advising them along the way and helping them to realise their ongoing strategy, culminating in acting on their behalf on the sale of their trophy asset, The Wiremill. We look forward to working with Anthony in the future as he takes the helm of Yummy Collection.”