Greene King pub gardens and sports zones given a £3m investment boost
- Guild Secretary
- 13 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Greene King, the country’s leading pub company and brewer, is boosting investment in its pubs and gardens by almost £3m to ensure customers can make the most of the al fresco opportunities and a busy calendar of major sports.
Customers will be able to soak up the inimitable pub atmosphere with high-quality viewing of key fixtures thanks to improved HD screens and sound systems in pubs’ sports zones and in many pub gardens.
The additional investment includes over £1.7m across c300 pubs to enhance the matchday atmosphere and a further c£1.1m spend across the wider managed and Pub Partners estate to refresh gardens and outdoor areas.
Jodie Tate, Greene King’s chief operating officer, said: “We have been busy making sure everything is in place for the summer season ready to delight our customers and sports fans. Let’s hope the weather plays ball! This summer promises to be a great one for sport and fans will appreciate the best viewing and audio we can offer. With our summer campaign: The World’s Game, The Nation’s Pub now in play, nothing beats watching sport together in the pub; it’s where experiences are shared and memories are made.
“At the same time, many of our pub gardens have been given a makeover with fresh planting and furniture so customers can enjoy summer meals and drinks in the open air.
“As well as this physical investment, customers are benefitting from ongoing digital developments including integrating sport into our app, bookings journey and rewards programmes. It is easier than ever to book a table for either drinks, dining or sports through our app, with real-time availability showing. Our teams have everything they need to deliver a great pub atmosphere for all occasions throughout the summer and beyond.”
Since August 2025, almost half a million fans have secured their seats for live sporting action in their local Greene King managed pub through online bookings.
Greene King customer insight shows the best sports atmosphere is found in welcoming pubs with friendly pub teams, and strong food and drink offers. It also highlights the need for large, high-quality screens with clear sightlines, and crisp, balanced audio that stays in sync with the action.
The investment to pubs’ outdoors spaces has been focused on customer feedback, which discovered customers look for comfortable seating, real grass, greenery, areas for shade and sunshine, and heaters or blankets for cooler evenings, alongside festoon lighting, space between tables and background music.
Notes to Editors
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: