Blind Tiger Inns hits 20-site milestone

North west pub operator Blind Tiger Inns is preparing to open two new sites, taking the business to 20 venues.

The two new pubs, The Argyll & Sutherland at Eastham and the Towneley Arms Hotel in Longridge, are both Star Pubs & Bars venues. 

Each will undergo joint refurbishments, totalling £340,000, before opening under Blind Tiger’s management. Nineteen out of the 20 pubs in Blind Tiger's portfolio are Star leases. 

Overseen by managing director Chris Tulloch (pictured), the revamps will take a common approach, upgrading them into premium locals specialising in sports and entertainment. Each pub will have a spacious bar, a lounge area and a dedicated sports zone kitted out with a new pool table, darts throws and big screens showing TNT and Sky Sports.

The pubs will also have café-style seating at the front, as well as a garden area.

Business as usual

Despite the cost-of-living crisis and the challenges of inflation and high energy prices, Tulloch says it’s “business as usual” at Blind Tiger Inns and he remains positive about the outlook for pubs.

"We’ve made no cut backs and have continued to give our customers the great experience they know and love when they come to our pubs," he says. "We’ve invested in the best glassware, revisited our wine and gin menus, revamped gardens and kept up our maintenance programme, so our pubs look as good as ever. As a result, our volumes are in growth, albeit increased costs have dented profits. We’re confident we’ll emerge from this tough period as a strong business and will recoup our profit margins as energy prices settle down."

Looking to the future, Tulloch says Blind Tiger Inns remains open to taking on new sites if they’re the right opportunities. 

"We’re delighted to be developing more pubs with Blind Tiger Inns – it’s a mutually beneficial partnership," says David Pritchard, Star Pubs & Bars’ operations director. "They are incredibly creative and know how to deliver exceptional locals that keep up with customers’ changing tastes and appeal to all. Importantly, they’ve developed a strong pub management team, so the service is phenomenal."

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