Luke Johnson-backed Draft House agrees Grand Union pubs takeover

Expanding: Draft House, led by Charlie McVeigh, has agreed to buy the Grand Union bars chain

Joanna Hodgson29 June 2017

A London pubs group chaired by Luke Johnson has agreed a deal to snap up the Grand Union chain of trendy bars, which the serial entrepreneur also backs.

Draft House, which has 10 boozers in the capital, said it is buying the Grand Union Group, which comprises six venues, from Johnson and founder Adam Marshall. A price of around £3 million is believed to have been agreed.

The purchase includes sites in areas such as Camden, Paddington, Kennington and Wapping.

Existing staff will be kept on and up to 50 more people recruited. The pubs will be converted into Draft House sites.

Charlie McVeigh, founder of Draft House, said: “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to acquire a key site in Camden Town and five other beautiful pubs in prime central London locations.”