One of the UK’s oldest family-run regional breweries called on Bristol-based corporate finance experts to help it with its latest acquisition – despite being based 135 miles away.
Stockport-based Robinsons, a 181-year-old, sixth-generation family business, turned to the Bristol corporate finance team of national accountancy group Smith & Williamson to work on its takeover of Individual Inns. 
The deal adds six pubs to Robinsons’ 260-strong portfolio of tenanted and managed pubs across the north of England and Wales. While the move adds to Robinsons’ existing estate across Cumbria it takes the business across the Pennines and into Yorkshire for the first time.
William Robinson, managing director of Robinsons pubs division, said: “This acquisition supports our strategy of developing our estate through selective investment in high-quality sites.
“Opportunities like this don’t come up often and the proactive support of our longstanding advisers at Smith & Williamson enabled us to move quickly to secure the deal.”
The Smith & Williamson team was led by partner Matthew Pearson. 
Matthew, pictured, added: “Robinsons has a fantastic history and we were delighted to support them in this acquisition, which makes a step change in the development of its managed retail business.
“Individual Inns is an award-winning pub group closely aligned to the quality and character of Robinsons pubs and I’m sure it will benefit greatly from being part of the Robinsons family.”
Legal advice was provided by Jonathan Watkins and James Petts of DLA Piper in Manchester.
