The private equity-backed company that acquired Punch Taverns last year has swallowed a small pub operator in a deal worth an estimated £45m.
Vine Acquisitions, which is owned by Patron Capital and May Capital, announced the acquisition of the Laine Pub Company from Luke Johnson’s Risk Capital Partners and Graphite Enterprise Trust, each of which held about 35%.
Laine, which opened its first pub, called the Mash Tun, in Brighton in 1996, now operates 54 pubs in London and Brighton. It makes its own craft beers at three “brewpubs” and runs four other sites through its Mash Inns joint venture with Ei Group.
