More than 100 new jobs as pubs in Lancashire and Merseyside benefit from £3.2m injection by Heineken

The brewing giant has announced today it will invest £40m in upgrading and reopening pubs during 2025, creating nearly 1,000 new jobs across the country.

In total, 25 per cent (608) of Heineken’s 2,400 pubs will benefit from enhancements during the year. £3.2m is earmarked for pubs in the North West with licensees expected to invest £385,000 on top, demonstrating confidence in the future of the pub market and resulting in an estimated 122 new jobs.

Which pubs near me?

Sixteen pubs in the region have been identified for improvements including three that are currently closed. Building work will start at the end of May at the Feilden's Arms in Mellor Brook, Blackburn, to develop a local and drive-to destination pub.

Subject to completion of legal documents investment is also on the cards to reopen The Empire in Liverpool, closed since January and The Miners Arms in Macclesfield, shut for two and a half years. One closed pub that has benefited from recent investment and is said to be flourishing since reopening is The Hesketh Tavern in Southport.

The Aigburth in Liverpool is also seeing the benefits of a revamp that completed at the start of the year. Although trading conditions have been tough over recent years, Heineken UK has invested consistently throughout, pumping £194m into improving its pubs between the start of 2020 and the end of 2024.

A total of 97 per cent of Heineken UK’s pubs are in rural and suburban locations and its 2025 investment programme will reflect this, concentrating on community locals. The chain said major refurbishments will make over pubs with “stylish, comfortable and welcoming decors designed to entice pubgoers and cater for a wide range of customers and occasions.”

A comprehensive package of energy efficiency measures will be included to increase each pub’s sustainability. Every project will be sympathetic to the building and its history, retaining and preserving original features.

Lawson Mountstevens, Star Pubs’ managing director said: “Consistent investment – rather than a stop, start approach – and a strategy of creating great locals have been key to helping our pubs weather the storms of the last few years. Heineken sees firsthand the value in great British pubs and their ongoing popularity. It recognises that Brits love their locals and that well-invested pubs trade better. This £40 million inward investment from a Dutch business into UK pubs is a resounding vote of confidence in the future of the sector.

“Pubs where we invest, such as The Hesketh Tavern in Southport and The Aigburth Arms in Liverpool, are seeing a terrific response from local residents. Even with pressures on disposable income, people in the North West are still prioritising a trip to their local, valuing it as an everyday treat and as a way of connecting with their community. But they want to be guaranteed a quality experience: relaxing in an attractive setting is an important factor when pubgoers choose where to spend their money.

“The vast majority of our pubs are leased by independent operators who run them as their own. In partnership with our licensees, our investment programme keeps alive the great British tradition of individual locals, each with its own unique feel and serving the particular needs of its community.

The Hesketh Tavern, Southport

Closed for two years, The Hesketh Tavern reopened in October 2024 as a family friendly community local following a £350,000 revamp of the interior and exterior by Star Pubs. Twenty new jobs were created. The pub now boasts a new games area kitted out with illuminated darts, a pool table and HD TV; a dining area; a bar, and an alfresco eating and drinking area outside. It now plays a central role in the community hosting pool and darts matches, regular quizzes and comedy and music nights. As a result, people are using the pub for multiple reasons with trade exceeding expectation by 20 per cent.

The Aigburth Arms, Liverpool.

A joint £160,000 investment by Star Pubs and multiple operator Blind Tiger Inns, has seen trade increase by 30 per cent at The Aigburth Arms in Liverpool since it reopened in January. Improvements to the pub, which Blind Tiger Inns has run for five years, included making the interior more female friendly, with new furniture and neon murals giving the pub a more contemporary look and feel. The function room has also been upgraded and smart darts introduced. The outside has benefited from redecoration and a new kids play area. Garden furniture has been replaced, and new planting and graffiti murals have helped give the area a fresh vibe.

Managing Director Chris Tulloch said: “Investment plays a critical role in the success of our sites – whether we are taking on new pubs or breathing new life into ones we already run. When consumers’ disposable income is limited and you’re trying to encourage them into your pub, offering the best environment makes all the difference. We invest in a five-year cycle at all our venues and get a return on the new interest it generates from customers. This latest upgrade has given The Aigburth Arms a new lease of life. People are staying longer and a busy pub breeds business. We like partnering with Star Pubs, with whom we have 20 sites, as they have a similar ethos and are willing to back us.”