06/05/2026 10:09:00
Heineken plans to invest £44.5m ($60.3m) this year to refurbish 647 pubs across its 2,350-Star Pubs network across the UK. The programme includes major overhauls at 108 sites, each with investment of at least £145,000. The investment is expected to support the creation of about 850 jobs. Of the pubs earmarked for upgrades, 536 are run by self-employed licensees who lease their premises from Star Pubs and manage them as independent businesses. The remaining 111 are operator-managed outlets that are not consumer-branded and are often used by new entrants to the pub trade, reports Verdict Food Service.
The Como Group has invested in the Fat Duck parent company in a partnership which will bolster Heston Blumenthal's UK restaurants while providing an opportunity to explore further expansion. Singapore-headquartered Como Group, which has two hotels in London - Como Metropolitan and Como the Halkin - has invested a "significant" undisclosed sum into the Fat Duck Group's holding company SL6 Limited. The money will be used to support the evolution of its award-winning restaurants in Bray Berkshire, including the three-Michelin-starred Fat Duck, as well as the Hinds Head pub. The partnership with Como Group marks a new phase for the Fat Duck Group, with the company saying further developments will be announced in due course, reports The Caterer.
The pubco has reported a rise in profit and revenue for FY25, as it continued to invest heavily across its pub estate, writes the Morning Advertiser. For the 53 weeks to 4 January 2026, group revenue increased 3.6% to £2.539bn, while adjusted operating profit rose 9.8% to £217.4m. Total capex climbed 10.1% to £219.4m, reflecting continued investment across its managed pubs, franchise estate and growth concepts. The group operates more than 840 Greene King pubs, alongside over 980 leased, tenanted and franchised sites, as well as its Destination Brands and Ventures divisions. This follows earlier plans to convert or sell 300 pubs as part of an ongoing estate strategy. Despite the improved performance, Greene King flagged continued pressure from rising employment costs, business rates and wider inflation across food, drink and energy.
NEOS Hospitality has confirmed that Revolution Bristol will be rebranded as its modern pub concept Bonnie Rogues, with the venue set to reopen in June following a £1m investment. The site has stood in Bristol city centre since 2012 and is one of 20 acquired as part of the group's recent deal with The Revel Collective, which saw NEOS double its estate to 40 venues across the UK. Bonnie Rogues joins its NEOS' other Bristol venues Barbara's Bier Haus and Circuit, as part of the group's growing presence in the city centre. Further updates on additional site repositioning are expected as the Revolution integration process continues, advises Pub & Bar.
Inn The Sticks, a growing collection of English country pubs on the edge of the Cotswolds, has expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of The King's Arms at Didmarton. The deal comes only months after acquiring The Bull at Hinton, which brings the total number of pubs in the group to five, reports Pub & Bar. The Kings Arms joins The Bull at Hinton, The Langley Tap, The Neeld Arms and The Wellesley Arms. Inn The Sticks was founded by Mark Florey and Mark Holton, with the pair personally designing and creating the interiors of each pub.
Fast food and casual dining restaurants saw the biggest decline in consumer traffic for two years in the first quarter of 2026 amid continued pressures from the cost-of-living crisis. The latest data from foodservice industry insights firm Meaningful Vision revealed footfall fell by 2.3% across more than 60,000 fast food, pub and casual dining outlets monitored by the company during the three months to the end of March - the biggest fall since January 2024, reports The Caterer.