The chipped wooden floors, blackboard menus and open-plan kitchens of the English gastropub continue to prove a popular pull for consumers amid a broader downturn in the pub trade, causing investors to take another look at the sector.

This week, private equity fund manager Brockton Capital is to announce plans to almost double the size of its Realpubs Limited gastropub joint venture, taking its London sites from seven to 12 following a deal with an undisclosed pub chain to take on a number of struggling pub sites.