Mitchells & Butlers 'to buy New Orleans chain'
Birmingham pubco Mitchells & Butlers is set to acquire the New Orleans restaurant chain, according to reports.
The Sunday Times reported that the pub company is set to buy the chain of eight Cajun speciality restaurants from leisure company Regent Inns.
Regent previously purchased the chain from West Midlands pub group Spirit in 2006 through a £26m deal. Reports by analysts suggest its sale to Mitchells & Butlers could be for as little as a tenth of this price.
In 2009, Regent, which also owns the Walkabout chain of bars, underwent a pre-pack administration. It was subsequently rebranded Intertain.
Mitchells & Butlers is currently recruiting both a new chief executive and chairman after Adam Fowle and John Lovering stepped down from their respective positions earlier this year.
New Orleans has eight outlets in the UK which are based in Birmingham, Coventry, Thurrock, Manchester, Reading, Epping, Enfield and Cardiff.
Mitchells & Butlers have not commented so far on the speculation.
