Yates's
Yates's is a British pub and bar chain founded in Oldham in 1884.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Yates's is a British pub and bar brand with roots in the Victorian wine-trade business founded by brothers Peter and Simon Yates in Oldham, Lancashire, in 1884. The business began as Yates's Wine Lodge, a concept built around the sale of wine and other alcoholic drinks in a comparatively accessible, standardized retail environment. It became one of Britain's earliest and best-known pub chains and later developed into a large managed-pub operator with venues across the United Kingdom. The founders came from Preston and pursued complementary preparation for the business. Peter Yates travelled to Spain to study wine, while Simon Yates went to the United States to examine commercial and business methods. Their operating philosophy was associated with the motto “moderation is true temperance,” reflecting the original wine-lodge positioning and an attempt to distinguish the business from more disorderly drinking establishments. The first Yates Wine Lodge opened in Oldham in 1884. Although the original Oldham site no longer operates as a Yates venue, its location is commemorated by a plaque. Yates expanded from a single wine lodge into a national pub estate. During the late twentieth century, the business operated through Yates Group PLC, also known as Yates Brothers Wine Lodges PLC. The group developed and acquired additional trading identities, including Ha! Ha! Bar & Canteen, Blob Shop and Addison's. Yates became a public company in 1994. Its corporate history thereafter was marked by portfolio disposals, takeover discussions and changes in ownership rather than by a single uninterrupted expansion strategy. In the early 2000s, Yates Group considered a possible combination with Luminar Group but withdrew from those talks in 2001. It subsequently sold a number of pubs, including eight venues transferred to Morrells for £4 million in November 2001. In 2003, it sold the Aussie White fortified-wine brand to Halewood International. A management buyout backed by GI Partners was pursued in 2004, during a period when the company was valued at approximately £98.4 million and employed about 4,000 people according to contemporary reporting. The transaction proceeded despite initially falling short of the bidder's stated shareholder-acceptance target. By 2005, the group reportedly operated approximately 125 Yates pubs and 25 Ha! Ha! bars. In April of that year it was approached by Laurel Pub Company, owned by the Tchenguiz interests, and a merger valued at approximately £200 million was completed on 20 May 2005. Laurel later acquired sites associated with the failed SFI Group, the operator behind brands including Slug and Lettuce. Laurel entered administration in March 2008, creating another major transition in the ownership history of the Yates estate. The Yates brand subsequently became associated with Stonegate Pub Company following Stonegate's combination with Town & City in 2011 under the sponsorship of European private-equity firm TDR Capital. Yates venues have generally operated as high-volume, value-oriented pubs and bars, serving alcoholic drinks alongside mainstream food and providing a setting for televised sport, social occasions and late-night or weekend trade. Some locations have been converted to other Stonegate formats, including Slug & Lettuce, while the Yates name has continued at a substantial number of UK venues. Reference material describes more than 70 Yates pubs or bars still operating in the United Kingdom, although the exact current estate is subject to change. Yates's significance lies in its longevity, recognizable national pub format and role in the consolidation of Britain's managed-pub sector. It is best understood today as a venue brand within a larger pub-company portfolio rather than as an independent listed corporation. The brand's present operating footprint, ownership arrangements and individual venue list should be verified against current Stonegate information because the available reference material does not provide a definitive current corporate register.
History
Yates's began in 1884 when brothers Peter and Simon Yates opened the first Yates Wine Lodge in Oldham, Lancashire. The brothers were from Preston and prepared for the venture through international experience: Peter studied wine in Spain, while Simon travelled to the United States to learn business methods. The early business was associated with a temperance-oriented motto, “moderation is true temperance,” and developed a format centered on wine sales and accessible drinking premises. Over time, Yates's became a chain rather than a single local wine business. Its growth made it one of Britain's earliest pub chains and eventually gave it a national presence. The corporate vehicle behind the chain became Yates Group PLC, also referred to as Yates Brothers Wine Lodges PLC. In addition to the Yates name, the group operated or owned other pub concepts, including Ha! Ha! Bar & Canteen, Blob Shop and Addison's. Yates became a public company on 23 July 1994. The 1990s brought expansion and strong investor interest, but the following decade was characterized by restructuring and ownership change. In June 2001, Yates entered takeover discussions with Luminar Group, then abandoned the talks the following month. The company instead pursued disposals, announcing plans to sell 25 pubs and later placing 18 on the market. On 1 November 2001, eight pubs were sold to Morrells for £4 million. In October 2003, Yates divested the Aussie White fortified-wine brand to Halewood International for £1 million. A management buyout backed by GI Partners was proposed in June 2004. The Dickson and Yates families collectively held about 30% of the company at the time. The proposed transaction valued Yates at approximately £98.4 million, or 140 pence per share, and the business employed around 4,000 people according to the cited contemporary account. Although GI Partners initially received only 16% shareholder acceptance against a stated requirement of 90%, the bid proceeded in October 2004. By 2005, Yates Group was reported to have 125 Yates pubs and 25 Ha! Ha! bars. Laurel Pub Company, associated with the Tchenguiz interests, approached the group in April. A merger valued at approximately £200 million was completed on 20 May 2005. Laurel subsequently purchased many sites connected with the failed SFI Group, whose brands included Slug and Lettuce. Laurel itself entered administration on 27 March 2008. The later history of Yates's is tied to the consolidation of Britain's managed-pub industry. In 2011, TDR Capital announced a combination between Stonegate and Town & City. Yates subsequently operated within the Stonegate pub-company environment. Some Yates sites have been converted into Slug & Lettuce venues or other formats, while the Yates name has remained in use at numerous British pubs and bars. Available reference material indicates that more than 70 Yates locations continued to operate in the United Kingdom, although the exact number and ownership of individual venues may change. The original Oldham venue has closed; its former location is now occupied by a McDonald's and is marked with a commemorative plaque. The Yates brand therefore combines a long historical identity with the operational structure of a modern multi-brand pub group. Its core proposition remains a relatively accessible pub and bar experience, typically combining drinks, food, entertainment and high-volume social trading.
- 2011
Stonegate and Town & City combine
[1]A TDR Capital-backed combination placed Yates within the broader Stonegate pub-company structure.
- 2008
Laurel enters administration
[1]Laurel Pub Company entered administration, affecting the ownership context of the Yates estate.
- 2005
Merger with Laurel Pub Company completes
[1]Yates Group merged with Laurel Pub Company in a transaction reported at approximately £200 million.
- 2004
GI Partners-backed management buyout proceeds
[1]A management buyout of Yates Group proceeded after a period of shareholder solicitation.
- 2003
Aussie White is divested
[1]Yates sold the Aussie White fortified-wine brand to Halewood International.
- 2001
Takeover talks end and estate sales begin
[1]Yates withdrew from Luminar discussions and began selling selected pubs, including eight venues later acquired by Morrells.
- 1994
Yates becomes publicly owned
[1]Yates Group PLC became the public-company vehicle for the chain.
- 1884
First Yates Wine Lodge opens in Oldham
[1]Peter and Simon Yates opened the first Yates Wine Lodge in Oldham, Lancashire, establishing the business that became Yates's.
Products and positioning
A long-established British managed-pub brand offering accessible drinks, mainstream food and social entertainment in high-footfall town and city locations.
Hospitality venues · 1884
Yates's pubs and bars
The core Yates offering is a network of British pubs and bars serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, mainstream food and social entertainment. Venues are generally positioned around accessible pricing, group occasions, televised sport and high-footfall town or city locations. Depending on the site, the format may include late-night trading, live or recorded entertainment and large communal areas. The estate has changed over time as locations have been sold, rebranded or converted to other formats within the wider pub-company portfolio.
Historical pub format · 1884
Yates Wine Lodge
Yates Wine Lodge was the original format established by Peter and Simon Yates. It centered on wine and drinks retail in a dedicated branded venue and provided the historical foundation for the later national pub chain. The name remains important to the brand's heritage, although the original Oldham location has closed and the contemporary estate is generally presented simply as Yates's.
Fortified wine
Aussie White
Aussie White was a fortified-wine brand associated with Yates Group. Yates sold the brand to Halewood International in 2003. Reference material states that Halewood continued producing it in 35-centilitre, 70-centilitre and 1.5-litre containers, making it a related former product rather than a current Yates-owned offering.
Brand decisions
2005
Merge with Laurel Pub CompanyM&ABackground
By 2005, Yates Group operated a large estate of Yates pubs and Ha! Ha! bars and was approached by Laurel Pub Company.
Action taken
The two businesses completed a merger on 20 May 2005.
Aftermath
Yates became part of Laurel's broader managed-pub portfolio, which later entered administration in 2008.
Reported merger value. £200 million (May 2005)
2004
Proceed with GI Partners-backed management buyoutM&ABackground
A management buyout was proposed while the Dickson and Yates families held approximately 30% of the company. The offer initially received fewer shareholder acceptances than the bidder had sought.
Action taken
Despite an initial 16% acceptance level against a stated 90% target, the buyout proceeded in October 2004.
Aftermath
Yates moved into another privately backed ownership phase before its merger with Laurel Pub Company.
Reported company valuation. £98.4 million (June 2004)
2003
Sell Aussie White to Halewood InternationalM&ABackground
Yates Group divested a branded fortified-wine product as part of its wider portfolio management.
Action taken
The Aussie White brand was sold to Halewood International.
Aftermath
Halewood continued producing and selling the product after the transaction.
Sale price. £1 million (October 2003)
2001
Withdraw from Luminar talks and pursue pub disposalsStrategyBackground
Yates Group had entered takeover discussions with Luminar Group but decided not to continue. The company was also reviewing its estate and announced plans to sell a substantial number of pubs.
Action taken
Yates ended the talks and moved ahead with disposals, including the later sale of eight pubs to Morrells.
Aftermath
The decision preceded further portfolio restructuring and ownership changes in the following years.
Sale proceeds for eight pubs. £4 million (November 2001)
Recent events
- 2011
Stonegate and Town & City combine[1]
M&A
TDR Capital announced a combination involving Stonegate and Town & City, after which the Yates brand became associated with the enlarged pub-company group.
- 2008
Laurel Pub Company enters administration[1]
Bankruptcy
Laurel Pub Company was placed into administration, leading to another major change in the corporate environment surrounding the Yates estate.
- 2005
Yates Group merges with Laurel Pub Company[1]
M&A
Laurel Pub Company completed a merger with Yates Group in a transaction reported at approximately £200 million.
- 2004
Management buyout proceeds[1]
M&A · Leadership change
A management buyout backed by GI Partners proceeded after an initial shareholder acceptance level below the bidder's stated target.
- 2003
Yates sells Aussie White brand to Halewood International[1]
M&A
Yates sold its Aussie White fortified-wine brand to Halewood International for £1 million.
- 2001
Yates withdraws from Luminar takeover talks and begins pub disposals[1]
M&A
After entering discussions with Luminar Group, Yates ended the talks and announced plans to sell part of its pub estate. Eight pubs were later sold to Morrells for £4 million.
- 1994
Yates becomes a public company[1]
Other
Yates became publicly owned through Yates Group PLC, also known as Yates Brothers Wine Lodges PLC.
Sources1 sources
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