Greene King opens its 100th franchised pub

Greene King Pub Partners has reached the milestone of 100 franchise pubs. 

The number has been hit just over four years after Greene King launched its first franchise concept Hive Pubs in late 2021 and almost two years after it opened its first Nest Pubs franchise in 2024. 

In 2025, Greene King Pub Partners opened 30 new franchise pubs, including in Scotland under the Belhaven brand for the first time. For 2026, it has plans to open 30 more Hive Pubs and Nest Pubs. 

To support this growth, the brewer and pub operator has said it will expand its franchise operations into Wales and the south west of England for the first time through a pipeline of openings this year.

New franchise investments and openings already planned for the first quarter of 2026 include Millwrights in Aylesbury, The Freemasons Arms in Wigan and The Flag Inn in Egerton. 

“We are over the moon to have hit the magic number of 100 franchise pubs," says Penelope Bruce, pub partners franchise operations director. "Just over four years on from launching our very first Hive Pub, our franchise offer continues to grow. After expanding into Scotland for the first time, we have plans to launch in Wales in 2026 as we open 30 more franchise pubs."

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