| David
Bruce (Non-executive Chairman) David Bruce is a Non Executive Director of The Capital Pub Company PLC and a Director of Convivial London Pubs PLC. David is a co-founder of each of these two companies which between them have raised over £31 million of equity under the Enterprise Investment Scheme from nearly 1,000 private shareholders. David has been involved in the international brewing and leisure industry for over 40 years in a career that has covered both production and retailing. David learnt to brew as a management trainee with Courage, before joining Theakston’s Brewery as Brewer and Sales Manager. He then gained experience in the licensed trade during periods as operations manager for both Charram Limited and The Star Group. David founded Bruce’s Brewery and the first Firkin pub in 1979. The Firkin chain was subsequently sold for £6.6 million in 1988, and it went on to become the largest retail brand within Allied Domecq International. He then joined Grosvenor Inns PLC as an executive director in 1993 where he was responsible for developing and marketing ‘The Slug and Lettuce’ brand. In 1994 he received the annual award for “Outstanding Services to the Industry” and in 1996 Grosvenor Inns won the award for the UK’s “Best Independent Pub Operator”. When he left Grosvenor Inns there were 18 Slug and Lettuce pubs in the chain with average annual sales per site of £766,000. In September 1999 David formed a new joint venture company, Honeypot Inns PLC, with Brakspear’s Brewery at Henley-on-Thames. During its first year of operation the company grew to 10 managed pubs before Brakspear bought his 50% shareholding in November 2000. In 2001, David co-founded The Capital Pub Company PLC, under the EIS, raising over £15 million for this venture which now operates 27 high quality freehouses in London, all but 3 of which are freehold. In June 2007 The Capital Pub Company PLC was admitted to AIM, thereby providing liquidity to its EIS qualifying investors. In 2004, David co-founded The Convivial London Pubs PLC to capitalise on the success of the first Capital Pub Company, and the strong deal flow available. Operating on the same principles as The Capital Pub Company PLC, Convivial London Pubs PLC raised just under £16 million under the EIS and now owns and operates 9 freehold pubs in London. David brings over 40 years of industry knowledge, exceptional contacts in site acquisition, suppliers and extensive marketing skills together with a clear understanding of business start-up and entrepreneurship. |
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