Cardiff’s Hodge Real Estate Finance Backs Acquisition of Iconic Welsh Pubs

Hodge Real Estate Finance has delivered a significant commercial investment loan to Brew Propco Limited, a company majority-owned by Westbrooke Private Capital, to support the acquisition of 83 long leasehold pubs across South and West Wales.

The large-scale transaction was introduced by Cameron Hayes of specialist capital advisory firm, Arc & Co, and includes a range of well-established public houses formerly owned and operated by Welsh brewery Brains. These properties are now leased to Marston’s on a 25-year term.

Marston’s, the UK’s fifth-largest pub company, has sharpened its strategic focus on pub operations following the divestment of its stake in Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company in 2024. The company has since reported robust financial results for the first half of 2025, ending 29 March.

Hodge stated that the funding arrangement underlines its continued appetite for well-structured investment transactions in the leisure and hospitality sector. It also highlights the enduring social and economic role that pubs play in Welsh towns and cities.

According to the British Beer and Pub Association, pubs contribute over £26 billion annually to the UK economy and have experienced renewed growth in the post-pandemic years.

Supporting Welsh Communities

Gareth Davies, Senior Business Development Manager, Real Estate Finance at Hodge, commented:

“It has been a pleasure working with Westbrooke Private Capital on this deal and we’re proud to have backed a real estate transaction of this scale in Wales, our home and our heartland. Supporting the acquisition of 83 long leasehold pubs across the South and West of the country demonstrates not only our commitment to the leisure and hospitality sector, but our ongoing support for businesses in Wales. Pubs remain a vital part of the social fabric, and we’re excited to be part of a deal that continues to bring communities together.”

James Lightbody, Head of Real Estate at Westbrooke Private Capital, added:

“We’re delighted to complete this transaction with the support of our lending partner, Hodge. We’ve been involved with this portfolio since its original disposal by Brains in 2021 and this transaction with Hodge allows us to continue to support the sector and those pubs which are cornerstones of their communities in Wales.”

Hodge is a proud member of Fintech Wales, reaffirming its role in delivering innovative and impactful financial solutions within the Welsh economy.