Member Article

Heineken to spend £200k on Durham pubs

Heineken’s pub business, Star Pubs & Bars, is planning to spend nearly £200k refurbishing pubs in Durham to “broaden their appeal.”

Work has started on a £175k interior and exterior refurbishment of The City on junction of New Elvet and Old Elvet and £15,000 will be spend on decorating The Big Jug on Claypath and £38k upgrading the licensee’s accommodation.

The City has previously been operated on short term lets by a management company, but Star Pubs & Bars hope the works will facilitate long-term growth.

The firm also spent £50k renovating the Red Lion at Plawsworth earlier this year, following flooding that closed the pub for six months.

Since it’s reopening the Red Lion has seen a 25% uplift on pre-flood trade.

Star Pubs & Bars trading director, Chris Jowsey says: “It’s a tough time to run a pub with more and more people spending less time and money in pubs. To reverse this trend and be successful in today’s market, pubs must improve their offering to customers and this means investing in pubs to create a welcoming and relevant environment to all customers.”

“Heineken is a passionate supporter of the great British pub. We have invested £600m purchasing and improving our Star Pubs & Bars estate since 2010.

“We now own around 1,340 pubs like The City, the majority of which are operated by small independent businesses. What we need is real investment, innovation and professionalism in the pub sector to attract more customers back to the great British pub.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .