I'm Free

There has been much well publicised turmoil amongst the pub companies this year with their callous greed finally coming home to roost.

As a consequence of the recession and the banking crisis, many pub companies have been forced to sell off pubs to balance their books.

Birmingham branch has benefitted from two such sell-offs, namely The Old Moseley Arms at Balsall Heath and The White Horse in Harborne.

Sukhi who has done a sterling job of running The Old Mo for the last 12 years managed to purchase the freehold from Punch Taverns earlier this year.  Having been at the pub so long Sukhi was on the old Allied Domecq Vanguard lease which gave him a little flexibility with regard to cask beer but now he is totally free.  The land to the side of the pub has been developed into a large outside drinking area which is particularly useful when the quarterly beer festivals are held.

More recently The White Horse in Harborne has also been bought from Punch Taverns.  A little more complicated as the freehold is owned by Birmingham City Council who leased the pub to Punch.  Colin, who has been manager of the White Horse since 1997 now leases the pub directly from Birmingham City Council and is, of course, free of tie.  He has many plans for the pub and has already made changes which make the place far more inviting.  The beer range is far more interesting and the beers are now displayed on a plasma screen.