Seven pubs saved by Stonegate deal as deadline to bid for Trillians looms

Staff at seven North East pubs are breathing  a sigh of relief after the future of the businesses was secured.

Slug and Lettuce and Scream chain owner Stonegate has bought 78 of the stricken Bramwell Pub Company’s estate, including the Bridle Path in Whickham, the Blagdon Arms in Cramlington, the Grey Horse in East Boldon, Whitehills in Chester-le-Street, Chesters and the Blue Bell in Sunderland, and Varsity in Durham.

The Pow Burn in North Shields and Trillians Rock Bar in Newcastle are being marketed by Christie + Co, with a deadline for bids for the latter of November 20.

But the deal still means uncertainty for three of the collapsed company’s pubs in the region – the Red Lion in Chester-le-Street, and Varsity and Chaplins in Sunderland – with administrators Zolfo Cooper only saying that they “will continue to trade the remaining sites while exploring opportunities to achieve going concern sales.”

Administrator Peter Saville said: “We are extremely pleased to have secured the sale of this significant number of units to Stonegate and we wish Stonegate and the staff all the best for the future.

“Our focus now is on working to secure futures for the remainder of the estate and we continue to invite parties wishing to make an expression of interest in these sites to contact Zolfo Cooper.”