Pub favourite snapped up

A Staffordshire pub company has bought one of the country's most iconic country pubs, the award-winning Meynell Ingram Arms in Hoar Cross, near Abbots Bromley.

The 150-year-old pub joins 10 other pubs and hotels in the Mercury Inns portfolio.

Tamworth-based Mercury is a privately-owned company specialising in high quality rural pubs.

Mercury's joint managing director Mark Butler said the pub was a perfect fit for Mercury's group of non-branded, individual food-led venues in the Midlands.

He said: "The Meynell is a well known and historic pub with a loyal clientele – many of whom travel quite long distances to get there. It has won many awards for its superb food and is one of the last high-quality freehold pub properties in the region.

"We intend to invest in the pub and ensure that it continues to offer well-kept real ale, food of the highest quality, and excellent value for both local trade and visitors from farther afield," he said.

Mercury has bought the freehold of the Meynell Arms from local businessman and farmer Roger Mercer who put the pub up for sale for £1.5 million.

The new manager at the Meynell Ingram Arms is 48-year-old Guy Wallis who has worked for Mercury for 10 years. His most recent pub was the Belper Arms near Measham, the oldest pub in Leicestershire, which he transformed from a run-down pub to a very successful food-led destination. He also ran the Golden Cross in Stratford-upon-Avon.

All staff at the Meynell will be retained including award-winning head chef Craig Malone who joined the Meynell a year ago from the prestigious Rookery Hall Hotel in Nantwich.

The Meynell Ingram Arms has won several awards in recent years including Restaurant of the Year and Pub of the Year, and has held an AA Rosette for four years. The pub dates back to the mid-1800's. Mercury Inns was formed 10 years ago by co-managing directors Mark Butler and Kevin Thornton and operations director Andrew Chapman.