Holt's switches more pubs to tenancies

Manchester brewer and pub operator Joseph Holt is switching more managed houses to tenancy following a review of its 131-strong pub estate.

The family-owned company has converted six pubs this year and says it expects at least a further three to follow.

But Holt's insists it will continue to run a predominantly managed estate which has been focal to its trading philosophy for many years.

Operations director Tom Dempsey predicted that the total number of tenanted houses would not grow past the dozen mark.

"We have always operated a small number of tenancies and make regular reviews of the estate to pinpoint those houses we feel are more suited to being run by an individual entrepreneurial operator," he said.

"These are pubs that are chosen partly on their size or where there has been a change in demographics in a certain area which has altered the trading format," he added.

"But Holt's will continue managed house operations and there will be no seismic change to the way we do things," he stressed.

All Holt's pubs are located within a 30-mile radius of its Manchester brewery, believed to be the last remaining operator in the industry to produce and deliver beer in giant 54-gallon hogshead containers.