Christopher Ainsworth
Partner | Milton Keynes
“Chris provided us with support on our acquisitions of individual and multiple group transactions. I have always found him very reliable, supportive and the expert required to give the right advice and guidance.”
Call: 0345 271 6757 Mobile: 0791 869 6416
About Christopher
Christopher is a highly experienced real estate lawyer, with a specific focus on the hospitality and leisure industry.
Christopher has advised clients solely within the hospitality sector for more than 25 years and specialises largely in property acquisitions, disposals, volume letting and estate management work for hotel operators, pub companies, restaurant groups and brewers. His expertise covers not only complex development projects, acquisition and disposal of portfolios of property and general estate management work, but also extends to regulatory and commercial points of particular concern to the sector.
Christopher’s client base is national, reflecting the spread of operators across the country.
Contact Christopher
Call: 0345 271 6757
Mobile: 0791 869 6416
Notable work & expertise
Christopher has acted for more than 20 years advising national and regional pub, restaurant, bar, late night venue, and hotel operators. As a result he has many connections within the industry and substantial knowledge of the issues that businesses in the sector are likely to come across. Christopher regularly advises on widely ranging real estate transactions within the sector and is the deputy head of the firm’s leisure team.
Cases
- Advising national and regional brewers and pubcos on competition issues and the regulatory framework, including the statutory code for tied pub estates
- Drafting standard tenancy and franchise documents, including obtaining Crystal Mark (plain English) accreditation.
- Buying and selling portfolios of tenanted and managed pubs and restaurants
- Dealing with portfolio estate management for national and regional pubs and restaurants
- Property aspects of securitisations/refinancing of managed or tenanted public house estates – for example, refinancing of a 1,000+ public house estate
- Advising leading multiple operators of pubs and restaurants on ongoing leasehold acquisitions in premium shopping centre and retail park locations
- Negotiating options, pre-emptions and conditional agreements
- Acquisitions of distressed business assets out of pre-pack administration or sales from administrators
- Dealing with all related issues including the sale and purchase of stock and fixtures and fittings, employees (including the application of TUPE), VAT, Capital Allowances and warranties
Recent work
- Property aspects of the sale of a regional brewery business for a sum in excess of £50 million
- Taking over all property related matters for a national estate of over 300 restaurants, including a full estate audit followed by a major refinancing exercise
- Dealing with the sale of over 150 outlets for a national brewer over a two year period
- Acting in connection with the sale by Administrators of over 100 pub outlets
- 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
- Dealing with portfolio estate management
- Negotiating options, pre-emptions and conditional agreements
Testimonials
MG
“Freeths LLP have been our long term legal partner providing expertise and professionalism in handling both our everyday needs as well as supportin...
Mark Grunnell, Co-founder and Chief Executive
Red Oak Taverns
HS
"Peach Pubs grew through acquiring freeholds and leaseholds (both private and pubco) over 20 years. Freeths became part of our success in the la...
Hamish Stoddart, Co-founder
Peach Pub Company
RM
“Partnering with Freeths has provided us with invaluable support for our property activities. Their expert guidance and seamless service have prove...
Richard Maslin, Property Director
The Liberation Group
GB
"I have worked with Freeths for over two decades, firstly as an advisor alongside them when acting for a client, and more recently as the principal...
Graeme Bunn, Property & Acquisitions Director
Red Oak Taverns
NB
“Freeths has provided unrivalled legal advice to our portfolio businesses in the pubs sector for many years. Their team regularly goes above and be...
Noah Bulkin, Managing Partner
May Capital
PM
"The Late-Night sector has had some particularly difficult trading conditions over the last year, which meant unfortunately we had to take on board...
Peter Marks, Chairman
UK – REKOM
"Chris is a great solicitor who gives good practical advice, which is well aligned to the needs of our business."
Client testimonial
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