Barrow Brewers Fayre put on market for £450k
Barrow’s Brewers Fayre restaurant has been placed on the market with an asking price of £450,000.
The purpose-built pub and restaurant stands on North Road, next to the 105-bedroom Premier Inn.
It is being offered as a freehold business and remains set up for food and drink use. The listing says a buyer could continue running it as a family dining venue or introduce a different hospitality brand, subject to any required permission.
Restaurant being sold as a going concern
The North Road property is being marketed by specialist agent Christie & Co.
It is described as a modern pub restaurant with a large open-plan dining area, commercial kitchen, bar, storage space and customer facilities.
The sale also includes many of the existing trade fixtures and fittings. However, some items carrying the Brewers Fayre brand or owned by third parties may be removed.
The restaurant is being sold as a going concern. This means a new owner could take over the operating business rather than buying an empty building.
Existing staff are subject to TUPE rules. These rules can protect employees’ jobs and employment terms when a business changes owner.
Space for around 200 customers
The property listing says the venue offers space for around 150 customers inside and another 50 in its outdoor seating area.
More detailed information describes an open-plan restaurant with about 160 dining covers and a separate bar and waiting area with space for around 30 people.
The site also has shared parking and an outdoor patio. It currently holds a premises licence and has an energy performance rating of A.
Premier Inn is not part of the sale
The Brewers Fayre sits beside Barrow’s Premier Inn, but the hotel is not included in the restaurant’s £450,000 asking price.
The listing highlights the hotel as an advantage for potential buyers because its 105 rooms can provide a regular flow of breakfast and evening customers.
The site is also close to Tesco Extra, B&M, Halfords and the shops at Hindpool Retail Park.
Could the restaurant stay open?
The sale listing presents the property as a working business and says it could continue as a family pub and restaurant.
It also suggests that an independent operator or another restaurant brand could take it over.
However, a completed sale has not yet been announced. Its long-term future will depend on whether a buyer is found and what plans that buyer has for the premises.
Alternative uses may be possible, but these would be subject to any planning permission or other consent needed.
Sale follows national Brewers Fayre closure plans
The listing comes after Brewers Fayre owner Whitbread announced plans to close its remaining branded restaurants across the UK and Ireland.
Whitbread, which also owns Premier Inn, said it wanted to focus more closely on its hotel business.
The company announced that around 3,800 jobs would be affected nationally, although it said it hoped to move many workers into other roles.
Whitbread said it planned to replace its branded restaurants with a more limited food and drink service aimed mainly at hotel guests. Some restaurant buildings may be converted to create more Premier Inn rooms, while other sites are being offered for sale.
Other Cumbrian restaurants also affected
Whitbread’s earlier announcement also covered Brewers Fayre restaurants near Whitehaven, Carlisle and Cockermouth, as well as a Beefeater in Carlisle.
The company said its decision followed rising operating costs, tax pressures and a wider review of its business strategy.
For the Barrow site, the current marketing suggests Whitbread is seeking a buyer who could continue using the building as a pub or restaurant.
No closing date or confirmed sale has yet been announced.
