Hawthorn unveils new operator managed division – Proper Pubs

Proper Pubs, which consists of around 20% of the Hawthorn estate, are wet-led pubs, which are run by director of managed operations, Mark Brooke, who joined the company last year.

Proper Pubs will support Hawthorn’s new corporate charity partner, Chasing the Stigma, a national mental health charity which works to reduce suicide, eradicate stigma and enable everyone in the country to be able to access clear pathways to mental health care. 

Ambassadors of Hope 

The Proper Pub operators will have the opportunity to become Ambassadors of Hope, to provide support, if sought, for the pubgoers who may be less likely to speak up about the need for help.

Proper Pubs a will raise funds for important community initiatives to support the people who work with them, drink with them, and live near them. To start with, all Proper Pubs will raise money to install a defibrillator in the pub for community use, with further initiatives to follow.

Proper Pub

Brooke said: “You can’t beat a Proper Pub, and this platform will bring our entire division together. The brand builds on the strong foundations of the original Hawthorn Operator Managed model, and applies learnings from Bravo Inns, which we acquired in 2019, and how that business was successfully grown. 

“People are at the heart of everything we do, and we want our Proper Pub Operators to be community heroes who know their regulars and treat them like a true friend. By creating the Proper Pubs brand, we’re giving them the freedom and confidence to support their customers and their local community in whatever way they see fit, and make their pub a place where the whole community feels welcome.”

The Proper Pubs CAPEX programme will continue, with investment in refurbishments and renovations across the portfolio, it said.