The 182-year-old Wiltshire family brewery Arkell’s has bought The Old Stocks Inn at Stow-on-the-Wold, a 17th century coaching inn, which happens to be right next door to the Stag at Stow, a pub it has owned for nearly 30 years, which sits in the town’s Market Square.
The Old Stocks Inn, which had a guide sale price of £3M, has 16 individually-designed bedrooms which, when combined with the rooms at its next-door-neighbour, The Stag at Stow, will offer visitors almost 40 rooms. And it’s this which made the purchase so attractive to the 175-year-old brewery.
Managing Director, George Arkell, said:
“We are a family brewery and are in the fortunate position to be able to seize investment opportunities which pub chains may not be able to do in the current climate. This is a vote of confidence in Stow-on-the-Wold and in the enduring attraction of the Cotswolds to visitors from across the world.”
The new pub will be run by Mark Vance and Zac Weinberg, who have successfully run The Stag at Stow for the past 12 years.
George added: “The inn was previously owned by Jim Cockell and his family, who have done a great job modernising The Old Stocks over the last 11 years. It’s a wonderful property in an exceptional location, and with Mark and Zac at the helm, we’re confident it will continue to go from strength to strength.”
Arkell’s, which operates from its historic brewery just outside Swindon, currently owns more than 90 pubs and inns across Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Berkshire and Hampshire and The Old Stocks Inn will now become part of its tenanted estate.
“We have generations of experience in the pub, restaurant and hotel industry and can take the long view,” said George.
“The Cotswolds attracts millions of visitors every year, and many of them are looking for quality food and accommodation which is quintessentially English. They don’t just want a pint – although brewing beer is the core of what we do – they also want good food, comfy rooms and a great atmosphere. We can do that better by combining both hotels to offer a more enjoyable experience, and we’re delighted that the new hotel will be in the capable and experienced hands of Mark and Zac with our support.”
“Stow-on-the-wold is one of the Cotswold’s most vibrant market towns, and has its own fair share of history. It played a role in the English Civil War and was a centre of the region’s wool trade,” he added. “It’s all these elements that persuaded us to make the investment.”