New bedfellows

Last year they were rivals in the acrimonious battle over who would get Allied Domecq’s pub estate, this year they have formed a joint venture. Whitbread and Punch Taverns have created a £80 million joint venture company to oversee the creation of at least 50 new Travel Inns next to Punch’s pubs. All the 40 - 60 bedroom hotels will be managed by Whitbread. Travel Inn is currently 250-strong and has more than 13,000 bedrooms. Following the AGM, Sir John Banham replaced Sir Michael Angus as chairman of Whitbread.