It has been confirmed that pub company Mitchell’s of Lancaster — which also owns York Brewery — has been placed into administration. 
The company operates a total of 14 pubs.
Employees at York Brewery were informed of the news this morning (Thursday), local press reported.
Steven Muncaster and Sarah Bell, of Duff & Phelps Ltd, have been appointed joint administrators.
Operating ten public houses in Lancashire and with a head office in Lancaster, Mitchell’s of Lancaster was founded in 1871 by William Mitchell after he signed the lease on his first pub and brewhouse, The Black Horse Inn. The company has remained family owned over the past 140 years and has retained family traditions and core values for great service and quality cask ales.
Its Lancashire properties include pubs Fibbers, The Duke of Rothesay, The Old Hall, The Tithe Barn, The Water Witch, The William Mitchell, The Bobbin, The Station Hotel, restaurant and bar; 1725, and pub and hotel; The Royal Hotel, which when combined employ some 120 people.
Upon appointment, 14 staff were made redundant at the head office. All establishments are continuing to trade while Duff & Phelps seeks a buyer.
Steven Muncaster, managing director of Duff & Phelps, said: “The UK pub sector has suffered sustained adversity over the last decade, with the latest ONS statistics showing that nearly a quarter of pubs have closed since 2008, with the majority of these closures being small pubs.
“This troubled landscape. coupled with rising business rates, increased minimum wage, and the continued uncertainty surrounding Brexit, has created difficult conditions for pubs across the UK. As such, the owners were left with no alternative but to put the company into administration.
“We are seeking a buyer for the group and we encourage any interested parties to come forward as soon as possible.”
