The proposed sale of 42 pubs might lay to rest the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) concerns over Stonegate’s £1.27b acquisition of Ei Group.
The CMA have said the sales “might be acceptable as a suitable remedy” following its investigation, which revealed that while the deal does not raise specific competition concerns on a national level, there would be reduced choice for pub-goers in 51 local areas.
The CMA has been investigating the deal between the two pub groups. Together, the two groups operate close to 5,000 pubs across the UK, including chains such as Slug and Lettuce and Yates, as well as a large number of unbranded pubs.
