Greene King Opens Nest Pub with Exciting Fried Chicken Menu in Collaboration with Experienced Chef, Jonas Lodge

The Sportsman in Reading has reopened with a fresh new look following a £250,000 investment by pub owner Greene King. With a new look for the pub comes an exciting new food offer, Clucking Crispy Chicken, from top chef Jonas Lodge – bringing delicious fried chicken to The Sportsman.

The Sportsman will reopen as one of Greene King Pub Partner’s franchise Nest Pubs sites. Nest Pubs is one of two franchise concepts operated by Greene King Pub Partners – the leased, tenanted and franchise business of Greene King. Nest Pubs are reliable, drinks-focused pubs predominantly located on busy high streets and in communities – providing great value, an excellent experience and regular sport and entertainment.

Greene King has invested £250,000 in The Sportsman – which has seen a full internal refresh as well as significant enhancements to the pub's outdoor trading space. A key feature is the new covered pergola area, creating an all-weather seating space, alongside improvements to the existing patio and beer garden. Inside the pub, the new and improved sports and social spaces provide the perfect spot to meet, socialise and enjoy community events throughout the year. The Sportsman will be run by franchisee Katie Heath, who brings a wealth of experience with her – having run pubs in the area for over five years.

Jonas Lodge is taking a residency in the kitchen at The Sportsman with his Clucking Crispy Chicken concept. With over 24 years’ experience in kitchens across Europe, Jonas saw a gap in the market – crispy and flavoursome fried chicken. After his restaurant, Jonas at GL50, closed in 2023 he took a break from fine dining and got stuck into the food truck and festival scene. He then decided to invent his own version of fried chicken and homemade sauces to go with it. The menu at The Sportsman will offer a simple selection of wings and chicken burgers – all cooked to perfection and seasoned beautifully with accompanying sides and sauces available. As well as being at the helm of Clucking Crispy Chicken, Jonas is also a Development Chef for Tom Kerridge, a strong supporter of pubs and a Greene King partner as the licensee of The Hand & Flowers, Marlow.

Franchisee of The Sportsman, Katie Heath, said: “I’m so excited to open the doors of the new-look Sportsman. The pub is looking great, including the new outdoor space that can be used year-round. I’ve got some exciting plans for the pub – including a starting a regular schedule of events, ensuring we’ve got something for everyone. My team and I are ready to open our doors and serve our community with a warm welcome, a fresh pint and some delicious fried chicken.”

Penny Bruce, Franchise Operations Director for Greene King Pub Partners, said: “It is great to see the Sportsman reopen as a Nest Pub following our £250,000 transformative investment. The partnership with Jonas and Clucking Crispy Chicken for this particular Nest Pub is especially exciting. The Clucking Crispy Chicken menu perfectly complements a Nest Pub – fried chicken is great accompaniment to your drink while watching a match or catching up with your friends, family and community.

“We’re proud to continue to invest in our pubs – to ensure they stay at the heart of their communities. The Sportsman’s new look is fresh, modern and welcoming – with Katie at the centre of it all, to take the pub on a journey of success.”

Notes to editors

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 business areas including Managed Pubs, Pub Partners and Brewing & Brands.

• Managed Pubs: Our Managed Pubs bring 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: 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, Abbot Ale, Ice Breaker and Belhaven Best and our premium beers, Level Head and Hazy Day, brewed for the modern-day drinker.

For further information please contact Nick Lawrie via NickLawrie@greeneking.co.uk.

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