30th April 2026
Written by Rachel Wallace
On 3rd May, we mark an incredible milestone in our history - 150 years since the purchase of the Royal Scot in Marple Bridge. Little did anyone know that this purchase would lead us to be what we are today; an award-winning Pub Co.
In 1876, our founding father Frederic Robinson made his very first move to establish himself by purchasing what was then known as The Railway Inn. Little did anyone know that this single decision would lay the foundations for what would eventually become a thriving pub company with over 250 pubs across the North West.
From The Railway Inn to the Royal Scot
Before it carried the name we know today, the pub’s identity was tied closely to its surroundings. The Railway Inn’s name reflected its proximity to the Marple station, but in the 1930s, it was time for a new era. The original pub building was demolished and rebuilt, and with its new look came a new name: the Royal Scot - inspired by the iconic train route running from London to Glasgow along the West Coast Main Line.
Growing the pub estate across the North West
The Royal Scot was just the beginning of our journey as a pub co. As the years went on, we expanded across Manchester and the surrounding areas, acquiring pubs that would become cornerstones of their communities. And the growth didn’t stop there. We broadened our horizons by purchasing other breweries and off‑licences across the North West including:
- Heginbotham’s (1915)
- Schofield’s (1926)
- Kay’s Atlas (1929)
- Bell’s (1949)
- Hartley’s (1982)
Each acquisition added new communities, new styles of pubs and new stories to our estate. One of the most significant moments came with the purchase of Bell’s, which brought over 150 public houses and off‑licences into our portfolio – which was almost double our estate at the time. It was a huge leap forward.
From Pub Partnership to Managed Pubs
Fast‑forward to today, and that early ambition continues to shape who we are. Our Pub Partnership model paved the way for the development of our Managed Pub division, strengthening our commitment to great hospitality and memorable experiences.
Raising a glass to the Royal Scot
The Royal Scot stands as a symbol of where it all began for us, a single pub that was the start of 150 years of growth within the company and our people. As we celebrate the anniversary of the Royal Scot, we also celebrate our history as a business and the relationships with our pubs that have got us where we are today.
Happy 150th anniversary the Royal Scot and Robinsons Pub Partnerships!
Take a look at our pub journey below...
PUB ESTATE TIMELINE
From the Royal Scot in 1876, fast forward to 2026, our pub estate has quite the story...
Frederic Robinson purchased the Royal Scot
3rd May 1876
Formally known as The Railway Inn, marking the beginning of the Robinsons Pub Estate.
1915
By 1915, Frederic's son, William Robinson, continued to grow the pub estate. On 1st April 1915, William purchased the Heginbotham Borough Brewery in Stalybridge and its estate of 5 pubs and 2 off-licenses. This was the first of 5 brewery acquisitions made in the 20th century, which together have contributed significantly to the size and geography of the pub estate today.
1926
On 10th February 1926, William purchased Schofield's Portland Brewery in Ashton-U-Lyne and it's estate of 42 pubs. Many of these are still in our estate today, including The Albion, Dukinfield, The Friendship Inn, Glossop and The Snipe in Audenshaw.
1929
In 1929, William purchased Kay's Atlas Brewery, with its 86 pubs and 40 off-licenses, as well as a series of delivery waggons. Pubs such as the Bakers Vaults, Stockport, the Black Horse, Preston and Swan & Chequers, Sandbach came into the estate as part of this acquisition.
1930s-1940s
After William passed away in 1933, the third generation of Robinsons looked again at expanding the pub estate, this time in the countryside around Cheshire and Derbyshire. This attracted more families - a move that was integral to the future of the brewery and is still today.
The beginning of Roadside Inns
During this period, Sir John Robinson commissioned a series of Arts & Crafts–style Roadside Inns. These new pubs were designed to serve the growing number of people travelling by motor car along the new arterial roads and bypasses that emerged across the country in the 1930s. We still have five of these original Roadside Inns in our estate today: the Flower Pot in Macclesfield, the Legs of Man in Arclid, the Bleeding Wolf in Scholar Green, the Church Inn in Cheadle, and the Broadoak in Ashton‑under‑Lyne.
1941
In 1941, the business expanded into Wales with the purchase of the Black Lion in Llanfair Talhaiarn, marking our first pub acquisition in the country.
1949
In 1949, Bell's Hempshaw Brook Brewery and it's attached pubs were acquired. Bell's had a large pub estate and the Robinsons pub portfolio almost doubled with the purchase.
1982
In 1982, under the leadership of the fifth generation of the company, we acquired Hartley’s Old Brewery in Ulverston. This marked our expansion into the Lake District, where many of our most‑loved pubs - such as the Crown Inn in Coniston, the Golden Rule in Ambleside, and the Queens Head in Hawkshead, still thrive today.
2026 - The pub estate today
Our estate still retains many of our original pubs, with a large number of them remaining among the most loved and most visited across our estate. We’ve continued to grow alongside these long‑standing pubs and our Pub Partners, developing new agreements and strengthening the foundations of our estate.
