DLA Piper advised TCG Pub Group on the Stonegate Pub Company's acquisition of the group.

The deal will see Stonegate add some of TCG's best-known sites to its portfolio, which include London landmarks such as the Tattershall Castle, a floating pub on the Thames, and the St James Tavern in Soho. The deal will increase Stonegate's estate to 665 pubs, including 37 new freeholds from the TCG estate.

Tim Lake, Corporate partner at DLA Piper who led on the deal, said: "This deal is a landmark transaction in the industry. It simultaneously establishes Stonegate Pub Company as the fourth largest managed pub operator and is indicative of the on-going consolidation of the drinks market."

The team was led by partner Tim Lake (Corporate) and included partner John Jeffrey (Restructuring), associates Simon Wright and Suzanne Doogan (both Corporate), legal director Madeline Jenkins (Real Estate), and associates Sophie Murtough (Real Estate, all Birmingham) and Emma Peveril (Real Estate, Edinburgh). Additional support came from senior associate Emma Phillips (Employment) and associates Sophie Lake (Employment) and Satnam Sahota (IPT, all Birmingham).