Mitchells & Butlers

{{Main|Mitchells & Butlers Brewery}}

File:Mitchells & Butlers 1925.jpg, on a circa 1925 postcard]]

Mitchells & Butlers Brewery was formed by the merger of two breweries in 1898.{{cite web |url=http://www.mbplc.com/index.asp?pageid=16 |title=Our history |publisher=Mitchells & Butlers |access-date=26 March 2008}} The company merged with Bass in 1961. With the brand currently under ownership of Coors Brewers, the brewery closed in 2002 with production switched to Burton upon Trent.{{cite web |url=http://www.quaffale.org.uk/php/brewery/474 |title=Brewery at Quaffle |publisher=Directory of Real Ale Breweries |access-date=3 October 2008}} Their most famous beer was Brew XI (using Roman numerals, and so pronounced Brew Eleven), advertised with the slogan "for the men of the Midlands". It is now brewed under licence for Coors by Brains of Cardiff.{{cite web|last=Mail |first=Birmingham |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/birmingham-mail-top-ten-brums-8134 |title=Top Ten: Brum's best beers |work=Birmingham Mail |date=12 January 2012 |access-date=31 March 2015}}

Bass plc, based in Burton-on-Trent, transformed into separate brewing and retail divisions following the Beer Orders of 1989 and then proceeded to build a large hotel portfolio alongside its bingo, betting and electronic leisure interests. In the late 1990s the latter interests were sold. On 21 July 1995, Bass bought 78 Harvester restaurants for £165 million from the Forte Group.{{cite news|author=John Shepherd |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/forte-sells-harvester-pub-chain-1592684.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220515/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/forte-sells-harvester-pub-chain-1592684.html |archive-date=15 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Forte sells Harvester pub chain |work=The Independent |date=22 July 1995 |access-date=31 March 2015}}

In 2000, Bass also divested its brewing arm and rebranded itself Six Continents{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2001/jun/27/marketingandpr2|title=Bass to become Six Continents|newspaper=The Guardian|date=27 June 2001}} before another split in April 2003 into two separate companies, with the hotel assets forming InterContinental Hotels Group and the Mitchells & Butlers name brought back for the pubs and restaurants company.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2003/feb/18/5|title=Six Continents split-up to cost £100m|newspaper=The Guardian|date=17 February 2003}} In March 2003, Six Continents fought off a proposed £5.5 billion takeover by Hugh Osmond (Punch Taverns).{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2842249.stm |title=Six Continents wins £5.5bn bid battle |publisher=BBC News |date=13 March 2003 |access-date=25 March 2014}}

Mitchells & Butlers was formed on 15 April 2003. In April 2006, it was approached by a consortium led by Robert Tchenguiz in a £2.7 billion takeover, which was dropped in May 2006.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4983622.stm |title=Investors drop M&B pub group bid |publisher=BBC News |date=8 May 2006 |access-date=25 March 2014}} In February 2008, Punch Taverns offered to merge with Mitchells & Butlers,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7225643.stm |title=Punch unveils M&B merger proposal |publisher=BBC News |date=4 February 2008 |access-date=25 March 2014}} but decided not to in April 2008.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7354045.stm |title=Punch rules out pub deal with M&B |publisher=BBC News |date=18 April 2008 |access-date=25 March 2014}} Mitchells & Butlers then took an interest in Punch's subsidiary, Spirit Group.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7345824.stm |title=M&B eyes Punch pub chain Spirit |publisher=BBC News |date=14 April 2008 |access-date=25 March 2014}}

File:The Colton Mill, Colton Mill, Leeds.jpg

In January 2008, Mitchells & Butlers announced significant losses (£274 million){{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7214702.stm |title=Pub owner's credit crunch losses |publisher=BBC News |date=29 January 2008 |access-date=25 March 2014}} arising out of closure of hedge positions taken in anticipation of a property joint venture that were eventually cancelled due to the credit crunch caused by the subprime mortgage financial crisis.{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2008/jan/28/mitchellsandbutlers.fooddrinks |title=M&B could blow a year's profit on £300m hedge loss |author=Bowers |work=The Guardian |date=28 January 2008 |access-date=26 March 2008}}{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2008/jan/29/mitchellsandbutlers.fooddrinks |title=Tchenguiz raises stake in pub group |author=Bowers |work=The Guardian |date=29 January 2008 |access-date=26 March 2008}}

File:Innkeeper's Lodge - geograph.org.uk - 1803352.jpg, Greater Manchester in 2010|240x240px]]

By 2006, Mitchells & Butlers operated 130 Harvester restaurants. In 2001, it added Arena, Ember Inns, Flares, Goose, Sizzling Pub Co, Browns, Alex (in Germany), and Inn Keeper's Lodge to its list of brands.{{cite book|last1=Cunill|first1=Onofre Martorell|title=The Growth Strategies of Hotel Chains: Best Business Practices by Leading Companies|date=2006|publisher=Haworth Hospitality|location=New York|isbn=0789026643|page=29}} In July 2006, Mitchells & Butlers purchased 239 pub restaurants (Beefeater and Brewers Fayre without a Premier Inn) from Whitbread for £497 million to strengthen its food business ahead of the introduction of a smoking ban in enclosed public spaces in England in 2007.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5202164.stm |title=Beefeater sites bought by M&B |publisher=BBC News |date=21 July 2006 |access-date=25 March 2014}} It had first announced its interest in April 2006.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4954190.stm |title=M&B confirms Beefeater interest |publisher=BBC News |date=28 April 2006 |access-date=25 March 2014}} In July 2008, Mitchells & Butlers bought 44 more former Brewers Fayre and Beefeater outlets from Whitbread in exchange for 21 Holiday Inn hotels. The acquired sites were rebranded into Mitchells and Butlers flagship brands Harvester and Toby Carvery.{{cite web|author=Jonathan Sibun |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2794062/Whitbread-eyes-further-swaps-after-Mitchells-and-Butlers-deal.html |title=Whitbread eyes further swaps after Mitchells & Butler's deal |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=31 May 2008 |access-date=25 March 2014}} In September 2010, Mitchells & Butlers bought the 22 restaurants of the (upmarket) Ha Ha! chain from the Bay Restaurant Group for £19.5 million. Twelve were turned into All Bar One and six into Browns Restaurants. The Ha Ha! brand disappeared.{{cite web|last=Hiscott |first=Graham |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/city-news/mitchells--butlers-buys-ha-248150 |title=Mitchells & Butlers buys Ha Ha bar chain for £19.5million |work=Daily Mirror |date=18 September 2010 |access-date=25 March 2014}}

In June 2014, the company announced plans to acquire the bulk of one of its major competitors, Orchid Group, for £266 million. The acquisition included 173 pubs.{{cite news|author=Chad Bray |url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/06/16/britains-mitchells-butlers-to-acquire-173-pubs/?mabReward=RI%3A8&action=click&contentCollection=Pro%20Football®ion=Footer&module=Recommendation&src=recg&pgtype=article |title=Britain's Mitchells & Butlers to Acquire 173 Pubs |work=The New York Times |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=18 June 2014}}

In October 2006, Mitchells & Butlers sold off 102 of its smaller community pubs to Chorley-based Trust Inns for £101 million.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5408660.stm |title=M&B sells off 102 community pubs |publisher=BBC News |date=5 October 2006 |access-date=25 March 2014}} On 15 July 2010, it was announced that Travelodge had acquired the leases of 52 Innkeeper's Lodge Hotels around Glasgow, Birmingham, Liverpool, Northampton, Milton Keynes and Leeds areas from Mitchells & Butlers.{{cite web|last=Paskin |first=Becky |url=http://www.bighospitality.co.uk/Business/Travelodge-acquires-52-hotels-from-Mitchells-Butlers |title=Travelodge acquires 52 hotels from Mitchells & Butlers |publisher=Bighospitality |date=15 July 2010 |access-date=25 March 2014}} It also sold 12 Hollywood Bowl outlets in August 2010 for £39 million to AMF Bowling and 13 to Tenpin.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-10911132 |title=Mitchells & Butlers sells its Hollywood Bowl business |publisher=BBC |date=9 August 2010 |access-date=25 March 2014}} In November 2010, Mitchells & Butlers sold 333 pubs to the Stonegate Pub Company (of London and owned by TDR Capital) or £373 million.{{cite web|url=https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2010/08/20/M-B-sells-333-pubs-to-TDR-Capital|title=M&B sells 333 pubs to TDR Capital|publisher=Morning Advertiser|date=20 August 2010|access-date=27 February 2020}}

In September 2015, Mitchells & Butlers issued a profits warning and dismissed CEO Alistair Darby. He was replaced by Phil Urban, who joined as COO in January from Grosvenor Casinos and previously ran Whitbread's pub restaurants division.{{cite news|agency=Press Association |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/sep/22/mitchells-butlers-chief-executive-alistair-darby |title=Mitchells & Butlers calls time on chief executive Alistair Darby | Business |work=The Guardian |date=22 September 2015 |access-date=29 September 2015}}

Mitchells & Butlers owns several brands of pubs, including:{{cite web|url=http://www.mbplc.com/ourbrands/ |title=Mitchells & Butlers – Our brands |publisher=Mbplc.com |access-date=31 March 2015}}

{{div col|colwidth=20em|rules=yes}}

• Alex
• All Bar One
• Browns Restaurants
• Castle
• Crown Carveries
• Ego Mediterranean
• Ember Inns
• Harvester
• Innkeeper's Lodge
• Oak Tree
• Orchid Pubs
• Premium Country Pubs (formerly Premium Country Dining Group)
• Miller and Carter
• Nicholson's
• O'Neill's
• Sizzling Pubs
• Stonehouse Pizza & Carvery
• Toby Carvery
• Vintage Inns

{{div col end}}

Nicholson's pubs tend to be historic pubs aimed at the tourist market, located in London and other historic cities. Amongst Mitchells & Butlers' portfolio is Ye Olde Fighting Cocks, a St Albans public house that was previously listed by the Guinness Book of Records as being the United Kingdom's oldest.{{Cite web|last=Guy|first=Jack|date=2022-02-07|title=After more than 1,000 years, this English pub is closing its doors|url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/ye-olde-fighting-cocks-scli-intl-gbr/index.html|access-date=2022-02-07|website=CNN|language=en}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.mbplc.com Mitchells & Butlers plc]

{{FTSE 250 Index constituents}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mitchells and Butlers}}

Category:Companies based in Smethwick

Category:Restaurants established in 2003

Category:Companies listed on the London Stock Exchange

Category:Defunct breweries of the United Kingdom

Category:Tavistock Group

Category:2003 establishments in England

Category:Companies in the FTSE 250 Index