Black Horse, Atherstone

The Black Horse is situated at the top end of Long Street which is the main retail and hospitality street in Atherstone town centre. Atherstone is a market town in north Warwickshire close to the boarder with Leicestershire lying between the nearby towns of Tamworth and Hinkley. The local population is a little over 11,000 people all within a short distance of the town centre. The Black Horse is an existing opportunity for a new licensee to build on an already well-established local drinks offer and destination food offer. The pub has had a good food and cask ale reputation and has done so for many years.

Pub Layout

The pub has two main trading rooms of a similar size, a traditional bar, and a dining room. The pubs main entrance leads off the main street into a lobby with access to the bar through to the dining area. There is also another entrance from the car park straight into the dining area if guests prefer. The bar has solid wooden furniture, with a mixture of benched and loose seating ideal for socialising, alongside a darts run with the bar lending itself to vertical drinking and looking out over the front of the pub. Both trading rooms are served by a central bar ideal for keeping staffing levels low as both bars can be served simultaneously. The dining area has softer furnishings both fixed and loose along with the servery and access to the courtyard and rear garden. A large well appointed catering kitchen is adjacent to the main dining area.  To the rear of the pub is a fantastic roofed courtyard ideal for both eating drinking and small functions. This leads out through a small walled garden to a marquee that is currently used by our licensees for functions throughout the year.

The pub at present trades to the local community with most customers walking to the pub to drink in the bar throughout the day.  Its central location gives it the opportunity to trade to the long standing regulars in the daytime along with local shoppers looking to eat and people working locally. In the early doors and evenings cask ale lovers and destination diners are targeted as the pub is ideally located slightly further up the main street from the noisier wet led pubs.  The draught drinks offer is varied and targeted at its current customers. Sports teams for darts and pool are popular and a weekly karaoke held on a Friday night. The early doors trade is often bolstered by local trades people calling on the way home from work.  The key to the pubs success is its food offer for both casual dining and functions.

Private Accommodation

This consists of  two bedrooms a family bathroom, sitting room and kitchen.

Annual Rent: TBC – Starting rent of £100 (net) per week

Security Deposit: £5,000

Working Capital: £2,500

Stock: £3,000

Business Rates: £Nil.  Based on the April 2023 rating list, the Zero Rates Payable is based on small business rates relief being applied and the licensee only occupying one property for commercial purposes.

Fixtures and Fittings: To be confirmed upon valuation –  funding options may be available for the right licensee.

Tie: All drinks categories are tied.  For fully funded licensees on long term agreements, we offer free-of-tie options for certain drinks categories in exchange for an annual fee.

Training: £325 plus VAT

For a breakdown on financial information, please refer to the ‘Additional Info’ tab.

Admiral Taverns are looking for a licensee who can build upon the strong foundations already established at the Black Horse. The pub needs to expand its function trade, whilst the existing loyal customers should be retained and well looked after. There is an opportunity to add additional teams and a rhythm of the week to include a quiz, at the weekends and monthly larger events in the marquee. A good targeted food offer which Admiral can support could be really well received attracting especially new customers and families. The pub should become the focal point of the town and retail its community focus.

Annual Rent – This is our lowest rent figure associated with a Full Tie.  If the tie is reduced the effective rent (via Tie Release Fees) will increase.  Rent is billed and paid for weekly in advance depending on the payment terms agreed). On occasion, our Business Development Manager will discuss a start up rent which is discretionary to an individual pub and can be discussed.

Security Deposit – This sum of money will be held on your account and will be returned to you on exiting of the pub based on your final account balance and the condition of the property.  Our standard deposit is 25% of the headline rent.  On occasion, we can negotiate a lower security deposit with the aim to build up to our full deposit on a long term agreement.

Working Capital – This is a recommend amount required which will be used in the day-to-day running of the business.

Stock – This will be valued by an independent valuer on the day you take over the pub. This includes unbranded glassware, unopened bottles, wines, spirits, any unopened / opened kegs and cask ale providing the container is unopened.

Fixtures & Fittings – This includes any item that is bolted to the floor or walls, and a fitting to be any item that is free standing or hung by a nail or hook. This will also include furniture.

Tie: All drinks categories are tied.  For fully funded licensees on long term agreements, we offer free-of-tie options for certain drinks categories in exchange for an annual fee.

Training – Before signing a long term agreement, you will be required to attend our 7 Steps to Sales Success training programme.  Held online over three days, you will learn marketing and business strategies that will help you to grow sales in your pub – step-by-step.

Service Charge Cost – £60.89 per week – The Admiral Taverns Premium Maintenance Package will help take care of your compliance and statutory obligations with one simple fee, whilst giving you piece of mind about your boiler and cellar cooling repair and replacement.  This also includes full access to e-learning for you and your staff.

*Zero Business Rates – Based on the April 2023 rating list, the Nil Rates Payable is based on small business rates relief being applied and the licensee only occupying one property for commercial purposes.  Please note, this only applies to pubs marked with an Asterix *