Heineken to spend £1.6m on revamping West Country pubs

Heineken is planning to invest more than a million pounds on upgrading its pubs in the West Country which it estimates will create around 40 jobs. The proposals by the world's second-largest brewer are part of a £39m scheme to revamp and reopen hundreds of venues across its Star Pubs estate in the UK.

Pubs in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and the Bristol region are among those included in the plans, with Heineken spending £1.6m in the region and a further £163,000 being invested by licensees.

The Victoria Inn, in Hucclecote in Gloucestershire, is among the venues to undergo a refurbishment. A total of £385,000 has been spent improving the pub, which has restarted selling food, and 10 jobs have been created.

The venue now has a function room with working skittle alley; a sports room with a new pool table, darts and a state-of-the-art AV system showing TNT and Sky Sports; and a large beer garden. It also has its own darts and pool leagues, bingo nights, weekly karaoke and disco, and hosts regular live music.

New licensee Kirsty Jones said: “The Victoria really needed an upgrade. The investment has brought The Victoria Inn into the 21st century. It has breathed life back into the pub and is attracting new faces by giving people multiple reasons to visit."

Nationally, a quarter (612) of Heineken UK's 2,400 pubs are in line for improvement, with 94 of these set for makeovers costing on average £200,000.

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The refurbishments are designed to broaden each pub’s use and appeal, according to the brewer, which said changes will include overhauling cellars with new equipment and repositioning tills to speed up service. Heineken, which is aiming to become net zero across its entire value chain by 2024, also said the projects would feature measures to cut energy usage.

Lawson Mountstevens, Star Pubs’ managing director, said: “People are looking for maximum value from visits to their local. They want great surroundings and food and drink as well as activities that give them an extra reason to go out, such as sports screenings and entertainment. Creating fantastic locals that can accommodate a range of occasions meets this need and helps pubs fulfil their role as vital third spaces where communities can come together."