Greene King has revealed its intention to launch 30 new franchise pubs within the year. This announcement follows the achievement of a significant milestone with the establishment of 100 franchise Hive and Nest concept pubs by the pub group.
In the previous year, Greene King Pub Partners introduced 30 new franchise pubs, marking its expansion into Scotland under the Belhaven brand for the first time. Looking ahead to 2026, the company plans to further extend its franchise operations into Wales and the Southwest of England with a series of new openings.
Among the confirmed locations for this year are Millwrights in Aylesbury, The Freemasons Arms in Wigan, and The Flag Inn in Egerton. Notable franchise pubs that opened in 2025 include The Tarbet in Edinburgh, the first Greene King franchise pub in Scotland, following a £285,000 renovation.
Penelope Bruce, Pub Partners Franchise Operations Director, expressed excitement over reaching the milestone of 100 franchise pubs and highlighted the growing interest in their franchise agreements. Greene King Pub Partners Managing Director, Dan Robinson, praised the continuous growth of the franchise business, emphasizing its complementarity with the leased and tenanted pub business.
As part of a promotional campaign named Fans Reunited, Greene King offered free pints of Guinness at its sports pubs during the start of the Six Nations rugby tournament. To claim a free pint, patrons had to book a table for any Six Nations game on February 7 via the Greene King website. The campaign, supported by Rugby World Cup champions Martin Johnson and Jason Robinson, aims to celebrate the role of sport and pub culture in fostering connections among fans.
Zoe Bowley, Managing Director for Greene King pubs, highlighted the initiative’s goal of bringing people together through shared experiences, particularly during sporting events. The Fans Reunited campaign, launched in conjunction with the Guinness Six Nations, aims to rekindle connections among fans and create memorable moments of camaraderie.