SEVERAL Pembrokeshire locals could soon be under new ownership, with SA Brain reported to be close to selling the freeholds to scores of its pubs to a global consortium.

Last October, the Western Telegraph reported that SA Brain, the prominent Welsh brewer, was to sell nearly 100 of their pubs – including several establishments in Pembrokeshire.

Included in the list were The Galleon, Broad Haven; Crown Inn, Tenby; Grove Hotel, St Davids; Harbour Inn, Solva and Waterman's Arms, Pembroke and the Ferry Inn, St Dogmaels.

It also includes Penwig Hotel, New Quay and The Ship Inn, Tresaith, Cardigan in south Ceredigion.

Sky News reports that SA Brain is now close to agreeing a deal to offload approximately 100 pubs to Song Capital and Cerberus Capital Management, the former owner of Admiral Taverns.

"Pub industry sources said on Friday that a transaction could be signed in the coming days," reported Sky News City Editor Mark Kleinman.

"Song Capital was established by Daniel MacKinnon and Tom Pritchard, two real estate executives.

"Mr MacKinnon previously worked with Alan McIntosh, the founder of Punch Taverns.

"Song Capital's other partners include Neil Hyman, a former Slaughter & May partner, and Glyn Barker, chairman of Berkeley Group, the FTSE-100 housebuilder.

"The transaction, which is thought to be valued in the region of £100m, will generate substantial proceeds for Brains' family shareholders, with the funds expected to be used to pay down debt.

"In December 2020, Brains struck a deal with Marston's, the London-listed pub group, to operate 141 of its pubs under the Welsh brewer's brand as it wrestled with the financial pressures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The pub freeholds being acquired by Song Capital and Cerberus are understood to represent the core of the Brains pub estate, leaving the company as a family-owned brewer with a small residual pub portfolio."

Brains is one of Wales's best-known companies, having sponsored the country's rugby union team for several years.

Avison Young, the real estate advisory firm, is understood to have been running the sale process.

The Brain SA group has around 200 pubs in total across Wales and the south-west.