Bristol craft brewery and pub chain Butcombe is to launch a new brand with the aim of becoming the South of England’s leading operator of premium pubs with overnight accommodation.
Called Butcombe Boutique Inns (BBI), the brand will provide guests with what Butcombe is calling a “unique, personalised and home-from-home stay in some of the most desirable locations in the UK”. 
It will launch later this month with two of Butcombe’s Somerset pubs – The George Inn at Norton St Philip and The Swan Inn in Rowberrow, near Winscombe.
It will then be rolled out across a further six of the group’s 137 pubs and inns – selected as they are in some of the country’s most stunning locations, including The Castle Inn at Lulworth on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, and the High Corner Inn in the New Forest.
Butcombe parent company, Channel Islands-based Liberation Group, said it expects 25 inns will eventually be part of the brand.
Liberation Group CEO Jonathan Lawson said BBI was being launched following extensive research, including speaking to members of its Butcombe Pubs & Inns loyalty club as well as overnight guests.
“The team gained invaluable insight and learnings helping to reinforce a lot of things they already believe in – guests staying in hotels and pubs often book because of habitual reasons and what they’re really looking for are memorable experiences at sites located in the most beautiful locations,” he said.
“They expect an excellent customer journey from the moment they make their booking to entering a beautifully designed, styled and furnished room, with fantastic locally sourced food and drink on tap throughout the day.
“Our BBI sites are set in some of the best locations in the South of England, where guests will know from the very start that their experience will be unique and extra special, a real home from home.
“With a truly personalised experience, our guests will be able to get the most from their stays with us, whether it is enjoying our award-winning hospitality or embracing local attractions and activities that these unique locations bring, our BBI sites are the perfect place to create lifelong memories with family and friends.”
He said knowledgeable staff would be on hand at all BBI venues to give customers personalised recommendations to help them get the most from their stays.
“Whether it’s a guaranteed table for dinner or a complimentary glass of wine, teams will go above and beyond, surprising and delighting customers, helping them enjoy an environment that’s warm, welcoming and where they can really relax and enjoy award-winning food and drink,” he added. 
Wrington-based Butcombe was launched in 1978 and acquired by Liberation in 2015, when it had 19 pubs.
It has since made a raft of acquisitions to build a 137-strong portfolio of mainly pubs with bedrooms across the South and West of England.
Butcombe’s Bristol pubs include The Cottage Inn at Baltic Wharf, The Ostrich on Lower Guinea Street and The Whitmore Tap on Whiteladies Road, named after its founder and ex-courage director Simon Whitmore, who died in 2012.
Its range of beers include Original Bitter, Underfall Lager, Golden Ale and its award-winning alcohol-free Goram IPA Zero.
