Amber Taverns sees room for 400 pubs, with Newcastle's Gander due in December

Amber Taverns could grow to around 400 pubs, its new chief executive Richard Lewis has told The Morning Advertiser. Lewis joined six weeks ago and expects the group to reach its 200th site early next year.

The plan - Strongest now in the North West, North East and Midlands. The biggest gaps are southern England and Scotland, where it has 14 sites. - It has opened 10 to 15 pubs a year recently, with at least 15 lined up for next year and nine already completed but not yet trading. - The Gander in Newcastle is due to open in early December. The Saving Grace in Bromley will be its first pub inside the M25.

What it won't do: no food, no bedrooms. Lewis sees diversifying as a distraction and will keep spending on sport, AV, beer dispense, gardens and lighting instead.

How it spends: about 85% of capital goes on new sites and refurbishments. New sites need a target return of at least 20%. Estate spend ranges from smaller refreshes of roughly £30,000 to £40,000 up to bigger refurbishments of £100,000 to £300,000.

What it means for operators: a focused, wet-led model with tight return hurdles is still finding room to grow. If you run community pubs in towns and suburbs, expect a disciplined competitor looking at the same streets.