647 HEINEKEN-owned pubs across the UK set for investment in 2026, leading to 850 new jobs
£3.16m is earmarked for pubs in Yorkshire creating 88 jobs.
Investment sees big emphasis on sports facilities in a World Cup year

In a cash-constrained economy, HEINEKEN UK announced today it is helping protect the great British local with a £44.5m investment to upgrade 647 pubs in its 2,350-strong Star Pubs estate in 2026. The programme includes the complete transformation of 108 pubs costing £145,000 or more and will create an estimated 850 jobs.

£3.16m is being spent in Yorkshire with licensees adding a further £165,000 on top. 88 new jobs are being created as a result.

17 locals across the region are to benefit from substantial revamps including The Ship at Marske and The Ship Inn at Flamborough, which are reopening after long-term closures.

12 of the pubs will see improvements made to their sports facilities. These will range from new pool tables and high-spec AV systems showing Sky and TNT Sports to halo-lit darts boards to capitalise on the Luke Littler effect.

With hospitality businesses finding it difficult to secure finance in the current climate, the investment is providing a lifeline.

HEINEKEN has pumped £328m into its locals since 2018, safeguarding them for the long term. At a time when the UK is losing approximately one pub a day*, Star Pubs has fewer closed pubs than before the pandemic.

Major refurbishments will focus on developing top quality locals that appeal to the whole community and have different areas for drinking, dining and sports or entertainment.

Pubs are a fantastic institution, admired the world over. We’re proud to be a leading investor in Britain’s independently operated locals and to be playing a part in securing their future along with our dedicated and entrepreneurial licensees.

Investment is essential if pubs are to remain a first choice for people looking for somewhere to socialise. It is also critical for pubs needing to generate extra revenue to fund the sustained increases in running costs they’ve faced in recent years. However, we can only do so much; the root-and-branch reform of business rates that the industry has been calling for over many years is urgently required, as well as a lowering of the burden of taxation on pubs – including VAT and beer duty. We are calling on the Government to support us in bringing out the best in the Great British pub.

Importantly, this investment will create flexible job opportunities in communities across Yorkshire and the country more widely and give many young people their first taste of the world of work.

Pubs that have benefited from investment this year include The Ship, Marske; Half Moon, Sheffield; and New Inn, Eccup.

The Ship in Marske,

The Ship in Marske, North Yorkshire

The Ship in Marske, a much-loved family and dog friendly local by the sea reopened on 23rd April following a 13-month closure. 12 jobs have been created on the back of a £327,000 revamp which has reinstated the pub at the heart of the community offering food, live music, a weekly pub quiz, darts and pool tournaments, coffee mornings three times a week and a Thursday lunchtime Yappy Hour for dog owners and their dogs. Community groups are encouraged to use the pub and the local brass band and Marske Fishermen’s Choir meet there on a regular basis,

Improvements include an upgraded sports bar with a Heineken branded pool table, two high-definition TVs and a dedicated darts area with halo-lit darts and an electronic scorer. Additional HDTVs have been fitted so that sports can be viewed elsewhere in the pub. The Fisherman’s snug bar has been retained with its local sea related memorabilia. Outside there’s new furniture, providing seating for 66.

Says publican Gary Willis, a tuba player and member of the brass band: “Simone and I moved to Marske before the opportunity came up to run The Ship on behalf of Star Pubs and so personally felt the absence of what would have been our own local. It’s a fantastic refurbishment which has created jobs and a place for the whole community to come together. Residents are over the moon that it is back open and thriving.”

The Half Moon

The Half Moon, Darnall, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

A £205,000 overhaul of The Half Moon in Darnall in Sheffield has revitalised the previously tired pub, turning it into a top-quality local specialising in sports and entertainment and creating six new jobs. Since its reopening in mid-March, the pub is attracting a wider range of customers, including people from further afield. The revamp transformed The Half Moon with a welcoming, contemporary décor and upgraded everything from the carpets to the furniture. A little-used area has become an all-new games room kitted out with pool and halo darts, and there is a high-spec AV system with six screens showing Sky and TNT Sports.

Says new operator Richard Crookes, who runs the pub on behalf of Star Pubs: “The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive; people love the changes and feel they were just what was needed. The games room has become a popular gathering place for a younger crowd who rarely came in before, and the screens are bringing in sports fans who know they’ll get a good view from wherever they are sitting. The mix of a nice environment, entertainment and a new cocktail menu is attracting residents looking for a great night out who would previously have gone into the centre of Sheffield. The Half Moon has been buzzing on Fridays and Saturday since the makeover in a way it didn’t before – the atmosphere is fantastic. It’s great news for the community. The Half Moon is the only pub on the Littledale estate and is much valued as a meeting place. The investment has given the neighbourhood a local they can feel proud of and set it up to survive and thrive into the future.”

The New Inn at Eccup

The New Inn at Eccup

The New Inn is attracting customers from within a 10-mile radius since reopening after a £420,000 revamp in November that created 20 new jobs. The refurbishment was a joint project with the pub’s new licensee Scott Westlake – who also runs the award-winning Myrtle Tavern, four miles away in Meanwood –and has put The New Inn back on the map as a warm, welcoming traditional rural pub. It has brought out all the building’s character and charm – renovating features such as old beams, flagstone floors and a Yorkshire stone fireplace – whilst bringing it into the 21st century in terms of comfort and quality. The kitchen has been doubled in size, enabling The New Inn to major on freshly prepared food, made from scratch using locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. On the menu are hearty pub classics, such as homemade steak pies, fresh fish & chips and seasonal specials. Generously portioned roasts are snapped up by an average of 240 diners every Sunday.

In a second phase of works, the surrounding land is being turned into an enormous garden with stunning views, a children’s play area and a 5m x 3m screen for the World Cup.

Says Scott: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the response to The New Inn’s relaunch – trade is 30% higher than we expected. It’s out in the countryside and it’s proving a real destination; customers are driving out from Leeds and Harrogate. Many people had happy memories of The New Inn in its heyday 20 years ago, and they’re coming back along with lots of new faces. The food is going down really well, and there’s a great mix of customers, from younger adults through to retirees. We’ve got loads more plans in the pipeline, from further improvements to the garden to some big outdoor events.”