HEINEKEN Announces £40 Million Vote of Confidence in the Great British Local and Reaffirms Unwavering Support for Pub and Bar owners

As the UK focuses on boosting economic growth, HEINEKEN UK has announced it will invest £40 million in upgrading and reopening pubs in its Star Pubs division in 2025, creating nearly 1,000 new jobs across the country. 25% (608) of HEINEKEN UK’s 2,400 pubs will benefit from enhancements during the year, with 104 of these earmarked for transformational revamps costing £120,000 or more.

Having spent £9.5 million in 2024 reopening 62 long-term closed pubs, HEINEKEN UK now has the lowest level of pub closures since 2019. It is continuing its efforts to keep pubs open in 2025, and works are completed or underway to reopen ten pubs so far this year. Although trading conditions have been tough over recent years, HEINEKEN UK has invested consistently throughout, allocating £194 million to improving its pubs between the start of 2020 and the end of 2024. Star Pubs licensees are also confident in the future of the pub market, investing an estimated additional £2 million in the schemes being carried out this year.

As 97% of HEINEKEN UK’s pubs are in rural and suburban locations, its 2025 investment programme will concentrate on community locals. Major refurbishments will equip pubs with stylish, comfortable and welcoming decors designed to attract diverse groups of pubgoers and cater for a wide range of occasions, while preserving original historic features of the buildings. A comprehensive package of energy efficiency measures will be included to increase each pub’s sustainability.

HEINEKEN’s unwavering support for bars and pub owners

As trends of loneliness increase and people spend more time online instead of making real-life connections, HEINEKEN’s efforts to revitalize pubs and create quality socializing moments become more relevant than ever. HEINEKEN’s £40 million investment in the UK is a part of its ongoing commitment to supporting the bar industry and stimulate togetherness.

Pub Succession Campaign 

In 2025, the HeinekenⓇ brand launched the Pub Succession campaign to preserve historic pubs like McLoughlin’s Bar on Achill Island, Ireland. With no family heir, Heineken sought a successor—preferably with the McLoughlin surname—to keep the family name alive. The chosen successor will receive mentorship and business support to ensure the pub thrives as a social hub. This follows the successful Pub Museum campaign in Ireland, which focused on preserving the cultural and historical significance of Irish pubs and received widespread praise and multiple awards.

Swipe for bars that match your preferences

Recognizing that 67% of young adults, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, stick to familiar bars despite their desire for new experiences, the HeinekenⓇ brand earlier this year launched the Bar Dating app in Brazil and Italy, allowing users to swipe right on bars that match their preferences. Also this year, HeinekenⓇ introduced the Hei app in Brazil to help users plan nights out efficiently, driving foot traffic to bars and restaurants. These initiatives not only expanded social circles but also revitalized the nightlife and supported the industry.

Starring Bars: Lights, Camera, Cheers! 

The Starring Bars initiative transforms bars into film sets and with that provided bars with new revenue streams and increased visibility. As part of the HeinekenⓇ brand broader Back the Bars campaign, this initiative creates a global catalogue of bars as film-ready locations. It helps bars attract filmmakers and ensures they benefit financially from being featured in movies, TV shows, and commercials.

Shutter Ads: Bars in the Spotlight During the Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, HeinekenⓇ launched the innovative Shutter Ads campaign. By transforming the closed shutters of bars into advertising spaces, Heineken redirected its outdoor advertising budget to support these establishments financially. This initiative provided over 5,000 bars in Argentina, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, and Spain with a much-needed revenue stream, redistributing €7.5 million and ensuring that 100% of the participating bars successfully reopened after the pandemic. This brand campaign generated 40% more media value than traditional out-of-home advertising methods and won the Outdoor Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions 2021.

These company and brand initiatives have not only provided financial support but also had a positive social and cultural impact, ensuring bars remain vibrant hubs of community and connection. They have blown new life into local nightlife, celebrating the feeling of togetherness and revitalizing valued locations.

HEINEKEN is the world’s most international brewer. It is the leading developer and marketer of premium and non-alcoholic beer and cider brands. Led by the Heineken® brand, the Group has a portfolio of more than 350 international, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders. With HEINEKEN’s over 85,000 employees, we brew the joy of true togetherness to inspire a better world. Our dream is to shape the future of beer and beyond to win the hearts of consumers. We are committed to innovation, long-term brand investment, disciplined sales execution and focused cost management. Through "Brew a Better World", sustainability is embedded in the business. HEINEKEN has a well-balanced geographic footprint with leadership positions in both developed and developing markets. We operate breweries, malteries, cider plants and other production facilities in more than 70 countries. Most recent information is available on our Company’s website and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.