Heartwood Inns opens The Woodman in Southgate
Heartwood Inns has opened The Woodman in Southgate, marking the group’s 35th pub and the return of a long-standing local venue following a comprehensive refurbishment.
The Woodman has been reworked to retain its heritage character while introducing Heartwood’s signature design style, creating a warm, community-led pub environment.
The investment includes a new rear extension, increasing space for dining and socialising, alongside refreshed interiors throughout.
The pub is led by general manager Filip Tlustochowicz and head chef Ram Rana Magar, delivering a seasonally changing menu focused on sustainably sourced British ingredients. The food offer centres on pub classics, supported by a drinks range including local cask ales, craft beers, wines and classic cocktails.
To support regular trade, The Woodman has launched a weekly programme of events including steak nights, live music, quiz and games nights and a series of Meet the Brewer sessions throughout February.
The pub is also positioning itself as family and dog friendly, with dedicated community-led events planned.
Castle Pubs to refurbish three sites
Mitchells & Butlers has confirmed refurbishment plans for three of its Castle Pubs, as part of a wider investment programme aimed at strengthening its community-focused estate.
The investment will see upgrades at The White Horse, The Sun and The Crown & Greyhound, with each site receiving a tailored refurbishment designed to reflect local trading patterns.
The White Horse in Parsons Green will reopen tomorrow (5 February) following works that include refreshed interiors, an extended main bar to support wet-led trading, and a revamped first-floor dining space with a new British gastro-led menu. The pub’s garden will also be expanded, with additional seating and a new outdoor bar.
In Bournemouth, The Sun on Exeter Road will relaunch on 5 March under its new identity, having previously traded as Sixty Million Postcards. The site will open with a refurbished interior and exterior, upgraded dining areas, additional screens and a repositioned offer focused on family-friendly, community-led trade.
Completing the programme, pub-with-rooms The Crown & Greyhound in Dulwich will reopen on 19 March. The refurbishment includes upgrades to the ground-floor bar, improved outdoor space adding 43 covers, a new event space, and refreshed accommodation across its 20 bedrooms.
Castle Pubs said the refurbishments form part of a broader plan to invest in 18 sites during 2026, including further upgrades at the Prince Albert in Notting Hill and The Sun in Clapham Old Town.
Star Pubs opens first of 35 new JAT sites planned for 2026
Star Pubs has opened the first of 35 new Just Add Talent (JAT) managed operator sites planned for 2026, with The Earl of Beaconsfield reopening in Cambridge city centre following a 15-month closure.
The £330k refurbishment brings the total number of JAT pubs in the Star Pubs estate to more than 250 by the end of the year.
Formerly a wet-led pub, The Earl of Beaconsfield has been repositioned as a premium wet-led local with a focus on sport, music and entertainment, creating four new jobs.
The opening marks the start of Star Pubs’ planned JAT rollout for 2026.
Wren Pubs acquires freehold of two London sites
Wren Pubs has acquired the freehold of two of its London pubs, The Carpenter’s Arms and The Walmer Castle, strengthening its long-term investment strategy in the capital.
The two sites were previously operated on a leasehold basis. The move secures full ownership of both pubs and reflects the group’s confidence in the London market following a period of strong trading.
Across its three-site estate, which also includes The Surprise in Chelsea, Wren Pubs now generates turnover exceeding £10m, with like-for-like revenue up 20% year on year in December.
The Carpenter’s Arms sits on the Hammersmith–Chiswick border and The Walmer Castle is located in Notting Hill. Since taking on the leases, the group has focused on operational improvements, targeted refurbishments and strengthening food and drink offers, helping both pubs build loyal local followings.
Founder Jack Greenall said the acquisitions provide long-term security and flexibility, allowing the business to invest with confidence while preserving the character of each site.
The Beckford Group to open The Bradley Hare Inn
The Beckford Group will reopen The Bradley Hare Inn in the Wiltshire village of Maiden Bradley next week (13 February), expanding its West Country estate with a 12-bedroom pub with rooms.
Formerly known as the Bradley Hare and previously the Somerset Arms, the inn was acquired following the liquidation of its previous operator.
The site sits close to the group’s existing Bath Arms in Horningsham and marks a natural extension of Beckford’s regional footprint.
The Bradley Hare Inn will comprise seven bedrooms above the pub and a further five in a coach house.
The refurbished venue will offer space for around 85 covers across bar and dining areas, alongside a reworked garden building repurposed as a guest and community sitting room.
Food will be led by group chef Adam Bristow, with head chef Jaek Kelly overseeing day-to-day operations, delivering a seasonal British menu rooted in Beckford’s pub-with-rooms format.
The opening forms part of a significant growth year for the self-funded group, which plans to launch four new properties in 2026. These include its first hotel, Teffont House in the Nadder Valley, a British brasserie with rooms in Corsham, and a further country inn in Monkton Farleigh.
Country Creatures to open The Wild Duck Inn
The Wild Duck Inn will open on 2 March under operators Sam and Georgie Pearman, founders of Country Creatures, following a full restoration of the Grade II listed former coaching inn in Ewen, Gloucestershire.
Formerly the gardener’s cottage to Ewen Manor, the 16th-century pub has been extensively refurbished to create a pub with rooms, combining a traditional bar and restaurant with 19 new bedrooms. The project follows the Pearmans’ previous openings including The Double Red Duke and The Mason’s Arms.
The ground floor centres around a traditional bar with open fires, while the food offer will be led by group executive chef James Adams, formerly of Spring and The River Café, alongside head chef Richard Sandiford.
The 110-cover restaurant will focus on seasonal British produce, with suppliers including Wright Bros, Cotswold Curer and Neal’s Yard Dairy, alongside a strong Sunday roast and breakfast offer.
The site will also include two treatment rooms offering spa services for overnight guests.
The Wild Duck Inn marks Country Creatures’ latest pub-with-rooms opening as the group continues to expand its Cotswolds presence.
The Palmerston and Newbarns to open The Cooper’s Rest in Edinburgh
The Palmerston and Edinburgh-based brewery Newbarns are set to open a new pub, The Cooper’s Rest, in Leith, this Spring.
The project is a joint venture between Newbarns co-owners Gordon McKenzie and Emma McIntosh, and The Palmerston co-owners Lloyd Morse and James Snowdon.
It will see the revival of the former Cooper’s Rest pub on Easter Road, which has been closed since 2015.
The operators say the venue will focus on delivering a traditional pub experience centred on quality food, beer and hospitality, rather than a restaurant-led model. Food will feature modern interpretations of classic pub dishes, with an emphasis on local and seasonal produce sourced directly from farmers and suppliers.
Beer will be supplied by Newbarns, while the drinks offer will also include spirits from Leith-based producers such as Woodrow’s of Edinburgh, Blind Summit, Electric Spirit Co. and Fragrant Drops. Wines will be drawn from The Palmerston’s existing cellar.
The opening marks an expansion for both businesses and brings a long-closed Leith pub site back into use, reinforcing continued investment in Edinburgh’s neighbourhood hospitality scene.
Apex Brewing launches Dorset brewery at Patson Hill Farm
Apex Brewing Co has begun brewing at its new 25-hectolitre brewery at Patson Hill Farm near Sherborne, marking the launch of a new Dorset brewing operation.
Founded by Alex Ferris, the brewery has been developed over more than a decade and is positioned as a long-term, sustainable operation, entering the market amid a challenging period for UK brewers.
The site is based on a working farm and has been designed to support unfiltered, unfined and preservative-free beers, with an emphasis on British ingredient sourcing and slower brewing processes.
The brewing team is led by head brewer Tom Scratcher, formerly of Moor Beer, alongside Laura Bishop, also ex-Moor, and Russ Sykes, formerly of Wild Beer Co. The team has spent the past year cuckoo brewing while the Dorset site was completed.
Beyond production, Apex plans to open a taproom and events space at the farm, alongside offering cuckoo and contract brewing opportunities to support the wider brewing community.
Brewing is now underway, with the taproom expected to follow at a later date.
