A group of much-loved rural pubs in the north west have been saved from permanent closure.
Six former Seafood Pub Company sites, which crashed into administration last summer, have been bought by Oakman Group, saving around 150 jobs.
The Seafood Pub Company was behind some of the most popular gastropubs in the country but ceased trading back in June after missing out on a Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan (CBIL).
Founder Joycelyn Neve, who started the business in 2010 and was 'truly heartbroken' by the pub closures, will join Oakman as managing director of a new Seafood Pub division.
The majority of the sites are within an hour of Greater Manchester and are in some of the region's most beautiful rural locations.
The Oakman Group has snapped up four pubs in Lancashire as well as one in Merseyside and another in West Yorkshire in the deal.
The Alma Inn in Colne, the Derby Arms in Longridge, Farmers Arms in Great Eccleston, the Forest Inn in Fence, The Fleece Inn in Addingham and the Fenwick Arms in Claughton have all been saved and are expected to reopen on May 17, or step three of the roadmap.
It leaves four of the venues still unsold - the Assheton Arms in Clitheroe,The Oyster and Otter in Blackburn, Barley Mow in Barley Village and The Inn in Harrogate.
Neve said: "I have been a huge admirer of the Oakman Group, its ethos and its ambition.
"They have acquired the cream of the Seafood Pub Company sites and I'm confident that, with the Oakman team's support, we will prove to be enormously successful.
"My expectation at this stage is that all six pubs will reopen on 17 May and we will immediately start work on putting our new teams together."
Dermot King, CEO of The Oakman Group, said: "I am delighted that we have agreed terms to acquire these sites which represent the next stage in our strategic development as we look to extend our boundaries beyond our Home Counties heartland.
"We believe that there is significant untapped potential in the premium pub sector, and I am not placing any upper limits on our ambition."
Oakman Inns plans to open 40 pubs by the end of 2021.
