Heineken invests record £2.2m in pub upgrade

30-Jan-2019 - Last updated on 31-Jan-2019 at 14:26 GMT

High calibre: Heineken's £2.2m funding for the Gun is the largest amount it has spent on a single-site upgrade

Heineken and the East London Pub Co have completed a £2.2m investment in the Gun in Spitalfields, London – the brewer’s largest ever investment in a single pub from its Star Pubs & Bars estate.

The record revamp follows a year in which Heineken invested a total of £3.2m in Greater London pubs as part of its £44m UK-wide annual investment programme in 2018.

The Gun, which is named after Henry VIII’s artillery ground formerly located in the area, opened in 1929 on the old site of the London Fruit and Wool exchange.

While also creating office space for local businesses, Heineken’s largest investment in a single pub site has seen a taproom-style lounge bar added to the venue as well as an open cellar at the site’s rear.

Ongoing investment

The redevelopment of the Gun is part of Heineken’s ongoing pub investment programme, which has seen the brewing behemoth invest more than £140m in total across its Star Pubs & Bars estate since 2014.

Heineken UK managing director David Forde explained: “At Heineken, we know that well-invested, well-run pubs have an incredibly important role to play in London, and in cities and neighbourhoods across the UK.

“The Gun is a vital part of the history of Spitalfields, it was where producers and buyers came together after a hard day’s trading.

“Today, working in partnership with the East London Pub Co, we have delivered a unique pub that has not only created 50 new jobs, but will be a great drinking hole and meeting place for local office workers and a fantastic venue for tourists to relax at the weekend.”

East London Pub Co founder and owner Patrick Frawley added: “The Gun is one of four venues under the East London Pub Co portfolio and really demonstrates our ethos across all destinations, where we deliver great individual pubs rooted in the heart of communities.

“Heineken has allowed us to bring our vision to life, where we are offering quality food and drink, with incredible service in an exceptional environment.”

The completion of the Gun’s revamp follows news that Star Pubs & Bars, part of Heineken, is to break ground on a £1.26m investment in its South Yorkshire portfolio – a project that will create 25 new jobs.

Star Pubs & Bars regional operations director for South Yorkshire Grant Morgan-Tolworthy explained: “To thrive, community locals must keep pace with customers’ changing needs and expectations.

“Sheffield’s vibrant city centre pub and bar scene is testimony to the benefit of investment.

“The expenditure at the White Hart, the Water Tower and the Lord Reresby will bring them up to date and broaden their appeal so that they’re sustainable for the long term.”