A family-friendly pub chain is the latest business buying into the old Sanofi site.

Barking and Dagenham Post: Aerial shot of the Sanofi site in DagenhamAerial shot of the Sanofi site in Dagenham (Image: Archant)

Marston’s, the UK’s largest builder of new pubs, has purchased an acre of land in Dagenham and will start construction work on a tavern and restaurant later this year.

The chain already runs about 2,100 pubs and bars across the country and says the latest addition will create work for up to 50 full-time and part-time staff.

Since ceasing operations last year, pharmaceutical giants Sanofi have embarked on a regeneration programme aimed at transforming the 108-acre site into a multi-occupancy science, business, manufacturing and retail park, under the brand of business-east.

Plans are already in place to build a large Sainsbury’s supermarket, a hotel, health centre, retail area and manufacturing units on the site and Mark Bass, Sanofi’s land development and partnership leader is delighted by the latest news.

He said: “Marston’s is a popular and well-known brand that provides quality food at affordable prices in a family-friendly environment which can also cater to the business sector during weekdays.

“We feel Marston’s is ideal to blend into the overall business-east programme that we are trying to create and will become a big attraction as well as a significant local employer.”

With a play area and outdoor terrace, the inn will focus on family-trade during evenings and at weekends with lunch menus to attract business and older customers during midweek.

The new pub makes up part of a £300 million five-year programme launched by the brewery in 2011 to open 135 new premises around the nation by 2015.

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