Greene King Opens 30th Nest Pub and First Franchise Pub in Wales
- Guild Secretary
- 10 minutes ago
- 4 min read
The Clive in Cardiff reopens as a Nest Pub after £350,000 transformation
Greene King has opened its first franchise pub in Wales and its 30th Nest Pub overall.
The Clive in Cardiff has re-opened as a Nest Pub after a £350,000 investment by pub owner Greene King Pub Partners.
The Clive becomes the first in a pipeline of openings in Wales that Greene King Pub Partners has planned this year, as Greene King looks to continue the growth of its successful franchise business through its Hive Pubs and Nest Pubs concepts.
Thanks to the £350,000 investment, The Clive has been fully refurbished to deliver the Nest Pubs concept. The transformation includes a complete overhaul of the internal trading areas, with stylish new furniture, refreshed décor and a warm, contemporary finish throughout.
A key feature of the refurbishment is a newly developed sports area, boasting four brand-new dart boards, including two interactive darts lanes.
Likewise, the pub garden has been enhanced through the investment, making it fit for year-round use.
As a Nest Pub, The Clive will offer Sky Sports and TNT Sports, with sport being a key feature of the Nest Pubs concept. Alongside this, the pub will also provide a regular calendar of entertainment ranging from pub quizzes to live music and karaoke.
The Clive will also serve a wide drinks range including low and no options.
Central to the Nest Pubs concept, the pub will also provide a quality pizza offer.
The Clive will be operated by franchisee Nathan Sutton, who is local to Cardiff and has operated several pubs in the city, bringing a strong knowledge of the local pub scene.
Greene King also has plans to open two more pubs in Wales this year, and is actively recruiting those with leased, tenanted or managed pub experience who want a cost-effective and straightforward way to run their own pub business, with enhanced support from Greene King Pub Partners.
A franchisee in Wales can take over their own franchise pub from as little as just £3,000 ingoing cost, which covers agreement fees, induction, and on-site training. Earnings are based on a percentage of food and drink sales, with additional opportunities for profit-sharing and performance-based bonuses.
Nest Pubs are reliable wet-led pubs predominantly located on busy high streets and in communities, providing great value, an excellent experience and regular sport and entertainment along with a simple pizza food offer that is easy for operators to serve.
Hive Pubs, Greene King’s other franchise concept, are welcoming local pubs with a buzz located in the hearts of the communities they serve. They provide a great range of drinks and food for every occasion alongside a regular programme of entertainment and live sport.
Penny Bruce, Operations Director for Greene King Pub Partners, said:
“It is wonderful to have our franchise business up and running in Wales for the first time!
“As we continue to grow our franchise business through our Nest Pubs and Hive Pubs concepts, we see the opportunity for more franchise pubs in Wales.
“Hive Pubs and Nest Pubs provide a cost-effective and straightforward way to run your own pub business with a full suite of support from Greene King.
“We are actively searching for franchise Partners in Wales, Scotland and England. Anyone with pub management experience who is interested in running their own pub business should get in touch!”
Nathan Sutton, franchisee of The Clive, said:
“We are so proud to become the first Greene King franchise operators in Wales!
“Thanks to the investment of Greene King, The Clive has been fully renovated and refurbished and we cannot wait to reopen for the local community.
“Greene King’s franchise agreement really helped us break through the barriers we faced to entrepreneurship. The Nest Pubs concept, along with the BDM support and ongoing training, mean we can really thrive in running our own pub business.”
Notes to editors
Please find attached photos of The Clive, including of new franchisee Nathan Sutton stood outside the pub.
About Greene King:
Greene King is the country’s leading pub company and brewer trading c2,500 pubs, restaurants and hotels across England, Wales and Scotland.
At Greene King we are passionate about delivering our purpose to ‘pour happiness into lives’. That’s for our customers, our team, our pub partners, our suppliers and the communities in which we live, operate and serve. Founded in 1799 with offices in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk and Burton on Trent in Staffordshire we employ around 38,000 people across the group and operate three divisions including Managed Pubs, Pub Partners and Brewing & Brands.
Managed Pubs: Our Managed Pubs division brings together our best-known pub and restaurant brands nationwide, including Greene King pubs, Hungry Horse, Chef & Brewer, Farmhouse Inns and Flaming Grill. We offer great service, quality and value for a wide range of eating and drinking occasions. Ventures includes Hickory’s, Premium (Crafted Pubs & Metropolitan Pub Company) and Hotels, which operate independently of Greene King’s managed pub brands.
Pub Partners: Pub Partners runs our tenanted and leased pubs business and Hive and Nest franchise pubs. These options combine entrepreneurial independence with practical support, enabling partners to run successful local businesses within a market‑leading estate. We have c.1,000 leased, tenanted and franchise pubs.
Brewing & Brands covers the brewing sides of the business. Quality ales are brewed at the Westgate brewery in Bury St Edmunds and the Belhaven Brewery in Dunbar. Our industry-leading portfolio includes Greene King IPA, Old Speckled Hen, Abbot Ale, Ice Breaker and Belhaven Best and our premium beers, Level Head and Hazy Day, brewed for the modern-day drinker.
For more information:
Nick Lawrie – Communications Lead, Pub Partners, Greene King
07812 256245