Greene King is set to introduce 30 new franchise pubs this year, following the recent achievement of reaching 100 franchise Hive and Nest concept pubs. In 2025, Greene King Pub Partners opened 30 new franchise pubs, including the first ones in Scotland under the Belhaven brand. The company is now expanding its franchise operations into Wales and the Southwest of England in 2026 with a series of new openings.
Confirmed locations for this year’s expansion include Millwrights in Aylesbury, The Freemasons Arms in Wigan, and The Flag Inn in Egerton. Notable franchise openings in 2025 included The Tarbet in Edinburgh, the first Greene King franchise pub in Scotland after a substantial refurbishment.
Penelope Bruce, Pub Partners Franchise Operations Director, expressed excitement at reaching the milestone of 100 franchise pubs and highlighted the growing interest in their franchise agreements from experienced pub managers. Greene King Pub Partners Managing Director, Dan Robinson, emphasized the successful growth of their franchise business, which complements their existing leased and tenanted pub business.
As part of a promotional campaign, Greene King offered free pints of Guinness last weekend to coincide with the start of the Six Nations rugby. To claim a free pint, patrons had to book a table for any Six Nations game on February 7 through the Greene King website. This initiative was part of the Fans Reunited campaign, featuring Rugby World Cup winners Martin Johnson and Jason Robinson.
Zoe Bowley, Managing Director for Greene King pubs, highlighted the aim of Fans Reunited to celebrate the role of sport and the pub environment in bringing people together. By offering a free pint during the Guinness Six Nations, they aimed to facilitate reunions and shared experiences among fans.