PMA sister title M&C Report has learnt that the new look will initially be piloted at the Founders Arms on Bankside, and subsequently rolled out to four other pubs, including the Duke’s Head in Putney and the Duke on the Green in Fulham, before an estate-wide makeover begins.
Meanwhile, new pump clips for Young’s beer brands, which are brewed by Wells & Young’s, that incorporate the new design, are expected in mid-summer. It will apply to Young’s Bitter and Young’s Special.
The brand image is described a "confident and contemporary", reinforcing Young’s premium positioning "whilst importantly retaining the famous ram to acknowledge our history and heritage".
Chief executive Steve Goodyear told M&C Report that it would not be incorporated into the Geronimo estate or the tenanted houses as part of the programme.
He described the design as a "refresh". "Our signage is 17 years old, we haven’t refreshed it. We agonised over it a few years back and decided we would have another look at it."
Goodyear said it’s "quite an expensive redesign", although no figure is available because it will be incorporated into overall investment costs.
Marketing director Gillian McLaren told M&C Report "We’ll roll out new signage across all the managed houses. That will take two years, partly because the changes require planning permission. We won’t be doing the tenanted pubs yet – we’re planning a different identity for them.
"The changes might not be seen as radical, but we’re making changes to the pub signs, the sign surrounds and the Ram logo. The old black fascias will go, replaced by gold lettering in a modern, contemporary font, and a line of Latin copy, emphasising the community aspect of the pubs.
"The beers are licensed to Charles Wells in perpetuity, but we own the brands. They remain part of our stable at Young’s, and will have the same identity as the pubs."