The Alexander Bain in Wick will serve its last pints as a JD Wetherspoon pub on Sunday following its sale to Inntuitive Group.
It will become the fifth north business in Inntuitive’s growing portfolio.
The others include three hotels – the Weigh Inn, in Thurso, the Ferry Inn, in Scrabster, and the Corriegarth, in Inverness – as well as the Y not bar + grill in Thurso.
Inntuitive also owns hotels in Kilsyth in North Lanarkshire, Haddington in East Lothian, and Lauder and Melrose in the Borders.
It snapped up Y not bar + grill earlier this year and is gearing up for start-up at the Alexander Bain, which is named after the Caithness-born inventor of the electric clock, soon after getting the keys to the pub next week.
Intuitive is owned by Borders-based hospitality entrepreneur Rob Reeley and his family.
Mr Reeley told The Press and Journal the Alexander Bain’s “fantastic location” overlooking the River Wick was one of the factors behind his decision to buy it.
Having another business in the north was also attractive, although Inntuitive’s owner admitted to having some concerns over expanding in the middle of an energy cost crisis.
“It’s going to be a tough winter for everyone but I think this stacks up,” he added.
The business will eventually be relaunched under a new name, Riverhouse Bar & Grill, Mr Reeley revealed.
He added: “We’ll take our time to learn about the business over the winter. We’ve got some ideas.”
It is Inntuitive’s sixth acquisition in the past two years and the group is looking to add more.”
A spokesman for Wetherspoon, which sold the Wick pub for an undisclosed sum, said: “We can confirm that the pub’s final day of trading as a Wetherspoon will be Sunday September 11.
“We understand that both customers and staff will be disappointed that the pub has been sold, however, Wetherspoon does sell pubs, on occasion.
“We thank both our staff and customers for their loyalty over the years.
“All staff are being transferred to the new owners.”
The pub – a former post office – was put up for sale by Wetherspoon earlier this year.
It was previously saved from closure, in January 2019, after a campaign by the local community.
When it opened in 2003, the Alexander Bain became the Wetherspoon pub chain’s northernmost location.
£325,000 price tag
The 7,822sq ft hostelry – including manager’s accommodation – was sold off a guide price of £325,000, excluding VAT.
It was among a portfolio of pubs identified for disposal by Wetherspoon, with property agents CBRE and Savills appointed to handle their sale.
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