The Chester-based pubco has pumped £35m into 230 of its 1,400 pubs over the past 12-months, equating to an average investment of £152k per site.
Jowsey, who was crowned Business Leader of the Year at the 2025 Publican Awards, told The MA the funds had been split across Admiral’s leased & tenanted estate and its community wet-led operator division, Proper Pubs.
The CEO said: “We have always championed the importance of community pubs and are committed to working with our publicans to create long-term, sustainable businesses that can sit at the heart of their local areas.
“Capex investment is a key part of this strategy, which ranges from major transformational interior and external refurbishments through to important updates, licensee accommodation and long-term structural improvements.
“Pubs are the cornerstone of British life, offering valuable social hubs that bring people together, so it’s essential that we continue to facilitate such an important part of community life by equipping our publicans with the correct tools and infrastructure to create thriving social hubs.”
Amazing work
Last week, The MA reported Admiral had pumped £885k into three sites in May alone.
One venue to receive investment was the Singing Canary in Newcastle city centre.
The retro-style karaoke bar reopened on Friday 30 May following a £350k refurbishment, including new feature flooring, quirky new furniture, fixtures and fittings throughout as well as a hand painted karaoke wall inspired by the local area.
Operator Cuthbert Hackworth said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be joining Proper Pubs to bring the Singing Canary to the heart of Newcastle. It’s been amazing working alongside the team to bring our vision for this incredible venue to life.”
Another pub to benefit from the cash injection was the Saddle in Liverpool, which is part of the pubco’s leased and tenanted estate.
It welcomed customers back through the doors on Saturday 17 May after a £255k refresh, including new furniture and flooring, complemented by bright, stylish wallpaper that brings warmth and character to the space.
Licensee Jeanette Murray, who has been at the helm of the pub for the past eight years, said: “Thanks to the refurbishment, we’ve been able to breathe new life into the pub and I’m confident it will remain at the heart of the city centre for years to come.”
Extremely proud
Earlier this year, Admiral said it expected a “structural shift” towards its leased and tenanted pubs after announcing trade was ahead of expectations.
The pubco, which is owned by real estate private equity firm Proprium Capital Partners, reported group turnover of £194.5m (2023: £182m), gross profit of £111.8m (2023: £104.4m) and underlying operating profit of £37.2m (2023: £36.9m) in the 52 weeks ended 26 May 2024.
In addition, underlying earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) stood at £59.7m (2023: £55.9m) during this period.
Admiral has also seen some strong acquisitions in the past year. In September last year, the pubco acquired 18 freehold wet-led pubs from Marston’s.
The sites, which are spread across the UK in counties including Dorset, Derbyshire and Yorkshire, marked Admiral’s second deal of 2024 having procured 37 pubs from Fuller’s in May last year.
Jowsey continued: “I am extremely proud of the fantastic work that has gone into enhancing our estate over the last year and the refurbishments look absolutely incredible.
“I look forward to continuing this momentum and I’d like to thank the entire team here at Admiral for making this happen along with our licensees and operators for all their ongoing hard work.”
