CI Traders deny making decision to sell 80 pubs

Tuesday 18th September 2007, 12:00AM BST.

REPORTS that over 80 CI Traders pubs are to be sold have been described as ‘mischief-making’ by the company that took over the group last month.

A report has been published in The Publican saying that the new owner, Sandpiper CI, has made a decision to sell off the pubs for between £50 million and £60 million. However, the chief executive of Sandpiper CI, Tony O’Neill, said that a decision on the future of the CI Hospitality division would not be made before the end of the year. The Publican says that the pubs are likely to be attractive to operators of tenanted and managed houses such as major brands Greene King, Marston’s and Punch Taverns. But Mr O’Neill has rubbished the notion that any decision has yet been taken as to the future of the pubs in Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney.

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