Drinks, Hospitality & Leisure
A refreshingly clear approach
What is involved?
What sets our team apart is our dedicated focus on working solely for operators of pubs, bars, restaurants, hotels and drinks and leisure businesses. We can offer your hospitality business an in-depth understanding of the particular challenges you face, and the reassurance that we speak your language.
Visit our specialist Drinks, Hospitality & Leisure website to find out more
Our passion for the industry is what underlies the longstanding relationships we have with many hospitality & leisure businesses and our vision is to be the leading legal supplier for the sector in the UK. We understand the commercial pressures driving your business – such as securing the right site, opening on time and delivering value for money.
Why choose Freeths?
- Over 30 years’ experience of working with some of the biggest names in the drinks, hospitality and leisure sector
- A team focused on nothing but advising businesses in the sector, meaning we are not distracted by other demands
- Our extensive knowledge of the regulatory regime means we truly understand your day-to-day operational concerns
- You can benefit from the wide ranging expertise and resource of our national team of specialists
- A variety of pricing models offer you budget certainty
Leo Skinner
Partner
T: 0345 271 6755
E: leo.skinner@freeths.co.uk
In addition to our knowledge of the industry, you will benefit from a multi-disciplinary team – whether you are buying or selling sites, facing property disputes, commercial agreements, employment issues, dealing with regulatory or licensing issues, planning new developments, or looking for finance to allow further growth. What is unusual about our team is that our lawyers are well versed in business issues beyond their core areas of expertise – which means they can handle all aspects of a transaction, providing you with a truly seamless service.
You’ll be in good company if you work with us; our client base ranges from start-ups/SMEs and regional pub groups to large national restaurant, hotel and pub and late night operators, as well as brewers and drinks companies.
Drinks, Hospitality & Leisure Lawyers
Lisa Gilligan
Managing Partner
0345 272 5723
Jonathan Hambleton
Managing Partner
0345 271 6750
Christopher Ainsworth
Partner
0345 271 6757
Mohammed Alam
Partner
0345 340 4215
Simon Barker
Partner
0345 634 2583
Iain Bowler
Partner
0345 030 5767
Adam Boyd
Partner
0345 271 6773
Mark Brown
Partner
0345 271 6764
Robert Bruce
Partner
0345 128 6958
Francis Dalton
Partner
0345 128 6954
Heather Davies
Partner
0345 050 3619
Tim Foley
Partner
0345 340 4202
Nigel Gardner
Partner
0345 128 6969
Chris Holwell
Partner
0345 050 3667
Oliver Jackson
Partner
0345 128 7985
John Jeffreys
Partner
0345 126 3761
David Marsden
Partner
0345 404 1757
Andrew Maxwell
Partner
0345 128 6997
Rebecca Sawbridge
Partner
0345 634 2589
Christopher Sing
Partner
0345 017 1345
Leo Skinner
Partner
0345 271 6755
Nick Sutton
Partner
0345 077 9567
Laura Tracey
Partner
0345 166 6349
Natalie Drought
Director
0345 271 6752
Jude Mladek
Director
0345 166 6304
Lucy Walford
Director
Roger Gough
Consultant
0345 030 5718
Paul Bownes
Managing Associate
0345 404 4142
Isobel Callaghan
Managing Associate
0345 404 4175
Tom Holden
Managing Associate
0345 271 6772
Tristan Milner
Managing Associate
0345 030 5803
Gary Munro
Managing Associate
0345 271 6760
Selina Norris
Managing Associate
0345 050 3563
Kaleigh Brown
Senior Associate
0345 030 5858
Emma Kelly
Senior Associate
0345 077 9580
Eleanor Kerr
Senior Associate
0345 271 6731
Tristan Sharples
Senior Associate
0345 271 6737
Amy Weir
Senior Associate
0345 404 1725
Emma Dye
Associate
0345 271 6746
Aamir Hussain
Associate
0345 128 7989
Samantha Keegan
Associate
0345 128 7965
James Lapham
Associate
0186 578 1291
Amy Platt
Associate
0345 166 6267
Samantha Turner
Associate
0345 271 6736
Beverage industry off-track to meet net-zero targets
Articles 12th Oct 2023Freethinking summit for the Hotel and Accommodation Sector
Past Events 26th Apr 2023Freeths advises Twenty20 Capital on the acquisition of seven best-known UK staffing and workforce solutions brands, bringing them together under the new brand RSS Global
News 28th Mar 2023- Acquisition of hotel development sites, both freehold and leasehold, including many individual sites for Premier Inn.
- Advised Carlsberg UK Limited on the acquisition of London Fields Brewery.
- Acting for Wells & Young’s on the acquisition of the Courage, Directors, McEwans and Youngers beer brands from Heineken.
- Acting for the owner in the removal of Vince Power from the Kensington Park Hotel in Notting Hill following a two week trial. The case received press coverage in the Guardian and Evening Standard, as have some of the other cases Freeths have been involved in.
- Acting for the administrators of a group of companies in the UK beverage industry operating off-license stores trading under various high-street brands. Freeths advised on the trading and ultimate disposal of over 150 stores to over 8 separate purchasers (Winerack, Victoria Wines, the Local).
- Various matters at London’s O2 arena (including two refinancings, a joint venture for a new 452-room hotel, the development of the roofwalk and proposals for the new designer outlet village).
- Acting on a number of conditional acquisitions of sites for hotel developments, guiding and advising throughout the conditional period, managing the funding and construction process and advising on the management and disposal either by way of property or corporate structure.
- Acting for the owner in connection with the development of what will be Europe’s first new build Radisson Red hotel in Scotland. This was on the agreement with the brand owner Carlson Rezidor for the management and operation of the hotel.
- Acting for an investor on the sale of a pub listed as an Asset of Community Value and general advice on the moratorium period under s95(1) of the Localism Act 2011.
- Advising national and regional brewers and pub companies on competition issues and the regulatory framework including the statutory code for tied pubs and the voluntary code of practice, Article 101 TFEU and the associated block exemption.
Client service
‘Doing the right thing’ is at the heart of Freeths. Find out more about our excellent client service and the strong set of values that guide the way we work.
Talk to us
Freeths are a leading national law firm with 13 offices across the UK. If you have a query about our services or just want to find out more, why not give us a call?
Contact: 03301 001 014