Stonegate buys remaining 25% share of Hippo Inns
Hippo Inns was formed by Rupert Clevely in 2015 and is one of the managed expert joint venture partnerships within the enlarged Stonegate Group.
Since it started, Hippo Inns, which has sites across London, has won multiple awards and industry accreditations including winning Best Food Offer at last year’s Publican Awards and is a finalist in this year’s.
Following the acquisition, Stonegate will hold the entire issued share capital of Hippo Inns.
Brilliant business
Hippo Inns sites:
The Royal Oak, Twickenham
The Eagle, Ladbroke Grove
The Signal, Forest Hill
The George, Isle of Dogs
The Duke of Sussex, Waterloo
The Lillie Langtry, West Brompton
The Black Horse, Kingston
The Islington Town House, Islington
The Grafton, Kentish Town
The Blue Anchor, Hammersmith
The White Haus, Farringdon
The Builders Arms. Chelsea
Stonegate chief executive Simon Longbottom said: “Rupert and team have built a brilliant business we know well and one that shares many of our values in being integral to the neighbourhoods and communities its pubs serve, with outstanding food, drink and hospitality.
“I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the team to the wider Stonegate Group and am delighted Rupert has agreed to stay on in a consultancy capacity.
“We look forward to leveraging the expertise and entrepreneurial flair our new colleagues will bring to the benefit of the enlarged group."
Right time
Clevely who will remain as a consultant to the group for two years, highlighted how he had hugely enjoyed growing Hippo over the past seven years and was very proud of the business that has been created.
He added: “I now feel the time is right to hand over the reins and Stonegate Group has the requisite skills and scale to take the business to the next level.
“I have every confidence both the pubs and my trusted team will flourish under its stewardship and I look forward to seeing them go from strength to strength.”
