Since August Punch Taverns have invested £10 million into Punch pubs across the country.
As part of their strategy to own portfolio of the highest quality pubs in the UK, the Burton-based pub company pledged an investment spend of £40 million this financial year.
Some of the pubs which have seen a cash injection include The County Hotel in Hexham, Northumberland and The Rigger in Newcastle under Lyme.
The County Hotel in Hexham received the biggest spend on a single Punch site, with a cash investment of almost £700,000 in partnership with Priestpopple Partnerships Limited, to completely transform the hotel into a stylish, welcoming venue.
Ben Robson, Managing Director of Priestpopple Partnerships Limited said: “Customer feedback has been exceptional and we believe that the investment has positioned The County as a local community, family-friendly, real ale pub with stylish letting rooms.
“We have had great support from Punch Taverns in the refurbishment of the pub and I know the team are enjoying welcoming customers back. We have been well-received by the local community and we are seeing lots of old and new faces coming into The County – which is great!”
Punch has invested a massive £1.2 million into its pubs across the Stoke-on-Trent area, such as the Rigger in Newcastle – a rock venue which received a £200,000 joint investment.
Rigger licensee Tami Gomez explained how the investment transformed the pub: “Everyone loves the new look, the makeover has been well-received with many customers commenting on the quirky features like the skateboards and alternative wall art. The investment has breathed a new lease of life into the Rigger and we are now able to offer the community something different, serving good value, quality food and drink.”
Stephen Allen, Head of Investment at Punch, explained how this forms part of Punch’s overall business strategy: “We own a range of pubs, varying from community locals to destination food venues, and by investing in our pubs we can create the highest quality pub estate in the UK.
“We believe that pubs are the hub of the community and by investing in our pubs it can create stronger business links with our licensees, like Tami, Ian and Ben, as well as the local community as pubs source staff and produce locally. From our investments alone, this has led to hundreds of new jobs created for people within the local areas.
“We are continuing to invest in our estate and are planning to spend £40 million over the next year nationwide.
“Seeing the success of our pubs, with many nominated for national awards, we have every confidence that our operators can put these venues on the map as leading pubs in their areas and put the British pub back at the heart of the community.”