Macfarlanes and Slaughter and May have secured lead roles on a high-profile brewery disposal as the spate of consolidation in the pub sector continues to generate work for City advisers.

Punch Taverns, the UK’s second-largest pub operator with approximately 8,000 outlets, will acquire InnSpired Group from Alchemy for a cash consideration of £95m, funded in part by a credit facility with Royal Bank of Scotland, plus £258m of assumed debt.