The City Pub Group appoints new COO

The City Pub Group has announced the appointment of Toby Smith as COO of the company, a newly created role which will begin with immediate effect.

Smith brings with him 25 years of experience in UK hospitality, having previously held CEO roles at Stonegate Pub Company, Novus Leisure and Town and City Pub Company.

Prior to this, he also held senior roles at Laurel Pub Company, Spirit Group and Scottish and Newcastle Retail.

The company had previously announced its interim results which saw revenue drop 55% to £12.1m from £27.1m last year attributable to the closure of the pubs during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Clive Watson, executive chairman of City Pub Company, said: ”The challenges of Covid-19 will also bring opportunity and we are seeking to position ourselves to take advantage of opportunities which undoubtedly will arise.

“The pub estate has been locked down far more effectively than the first time. All retail staff and a large number of head office staff are now on furlough.”

He added: “We intend to run our existing estate in the most efficient manner and our infrastructure is scalable for the next part of the journey when the pandemic is behind us.

“We welcome Toby to the business to accelerate the work that has been ongoing to achieve these goals. I and the board look forward to working with him to build an even stronger, better business for the future.”