Two Merseyside pubs to be transformed in £39m Heineken investment plan

Two Merseyside pubs are set to get an investment from Heineken as part of a nationwide plan by the brewing giant.

Heineken UK has pledged to invest £39m in upgrading and reopening pubs in its Star Pubs, estate in a move it says will create an estimated 1,075 new jobs. Over £2.24m will be used for pub investments in the North West.

Liverpool city centre’s Cross Keys pub and Southport’s Cheshire Lines are the two Merseyside pubs earmarked to benefit from investment. The plan means 612 of Heineken’s 2,400 pubs are in line for improvement, with 94 of these set for makeovers costing on average £200,000.

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Heineken said the revamps were designed to “broaden each pub’s use and appeal”, giving people more reasons to visit. Each project is set to impact every part of the pubs, from the toilets to the gardens.

Other changes will include overhauling cellars with state-of-the-art equipment, and repositioning tills to speed up service. Lawson Mountstevens, Star Pubs’ managing director, said: “People are looking for maximum value from visits to their local.

“They want great surroundings and food and drink as well as activities that give them an extra reason to go out, such as sports screenings and entertainment. Creating fantastic locals that can accommodate a range of occasions meets this need and helps pubs fulfil their role as vital third spaces where communities can come together.

“Pubs have proved their enduring appeal; after all the disruption of recent years, Star is on track to have the lowest number of long-term closed pubs since 2019. It’s a tribute to the drive and entrepreneurship of licensees and the importance of continued investment.

“We’ve spent more than £200m maintaining and upgrading our pubs over the last five years, and we’ll continue to invest to keep them open and thriving. Time and again we see the value consumers place on having a good local and how important it is to communities.”

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