A major hospitality company is said to be exploring the sale of about 250 of its pub-restaurants for an estimated £600million.
Whitbread is reportedly planning to get rid of sites, including Beefeater and Brewers Fayre, that are either marginal or loss-making - and is restricting the auction to established pub operators.
Mitchells & Butlers, the owner of Harvester and Toby Carvery, is said to be the frontrunner to buy the pubs - but rivals such as Greene King, Heineken, Marston's and Punch being approached too.
