Chinese firm buys British pub visited by Xi Jinping

Chinese firm SinoFortone has purchased a British pub visited by Chinese president Xi Jinping, after the leader’s visit to the UK in October last year catapulted the village venue to fame. 

Former UK Prime Minister David Cameron brought Xi to The Plough, a village pub located in Cadsden in Buckinghamshire, for fish and chips, and a pint of beer during the latter’s state visit last October.

The pub has since become a famous tourist attraction among Chinese tourists, Neil Morgan, managing director of the pub, told the BBC. Sales of the beer drank by Xi – Greene King Indian Pale Ale – has seen notable sales spikes after Xi’s visit, Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily wrote. 

Exports of Indian pale ale to China also reported increases with one importer telling the newspaper that his stocks in Beijing are all sold out two weeks after Xi’s visit.

“The English pub concept is growing very fast in China and it’s the best way culturally to link people from different countries and build friendships,” Peter Zhang, managing director of SinoFortone Investment, was quoted as saying. The amount of money paid for purchase was not disclosed. 

The Chinese infrastructure and construction company has previously invested £100 million in a Kent-based theme park, according to an earlier report by the Telegraph.