The Steam Packet and The Roebuck sold to Urban Pubs & Bars

The Steam Packet

Two well known local pubs, The Steam Packet and The Roebuck, are changing hands after being acquired by London pub group Urban Pubs & Bars, with the deal due to complete later this month.

The deal, which completes on 19 January, forms part of Urban Pubs & Bars’ purchase of five venues across the capital and will take the group’s total estate to 65 sites.

Both Chiswick pubs were previously owned by Brunning & Price, the Cheshire based operator known for running large, food led pubs. Brunning & Price acquired The Steam Packet and The Roebuck in 2020 following the collapse of their former operator, Food & Fuel, during the early months of the pandemic.

The Steam Packet, which occupies a prominent riverside spot on Strand-on-the-Green, reopened under Brunning & Price in summer 2020 after a brief closure. The pub takes its name from the steam launches that once used the nearby pier and has long been part of the riverside’s pub history.

The Roebuck, on Chiswick High Road, has long been a fixture in the area for and is one of Chiswick’s most established pubs.

The Roebuck

Urban Pubs & Bars’ managing director, Chris Hill, said the latest acquisitions reflect continued confidence in the London pub market. “Well run, well positioned businesses are thriving in the capital,” he said. “These latest acquisitions are exactly the kind of sites we look for as we continue to grow our London estate.”

The two Chiswick pubs were included in a package of four Brunning & Price venues acquired by Urban Pubs & Bars, alongside sites in Crouch End and Kensington. A fifth venue, The Prince Regent in Herne Hill, was acquired separately.

Urban Pubs & Bars has expanded steadily over the past year, including the recent purchase of the Albion & East bar group. The company now operates pubs, bars and restaurants across London with reported annual sales of more than £100 million.

No changes have yet been announced for either The Steam Packet or The Roebuck, and Urban Pubs & Bars has not indicated whether there will be any alterations to their operation or branding. For now, both pubs continue to trade as normal under their existing names.