The Netherlands-based drinks manufacturer said the move was designed to reflect the change in the last two years of its pub business in the UK. Heineken UK has recently purchased a number of its pubs and focused its property portfolio on 'long-term, sustainable' venues.
New talent
As part of the change, the company is changing its standard agreement from a five to a rolling three-year term. At the same time, terms of 10, 15 and 20 years are being introduced as standard options on its fully repairing and insuring agreement.
Alongside this, a First Year Support Package is being launched which is designed to assist pubs with cash flow in their first year.
Chris Moore, trading director at Star Pubs & Bars, said the package would give operators time to build up trade and establish themselves. He argued the rebrand was about much more than a simple name change.
"It is intended to reflect the many developments behind it that make a real difference to people’s businesses; both in terms of attracting new talent into the industry at a time when business confidence is low and bank lending tight and making it easier for all our lessee partners to build their businesses by creating further ways of increasing profits and reducing costs," he said.
Food support
The rebranding will mean a number of other key changes for new and current lessees:
- A new three-year Business Start-up Agreement with low-cost entry for new lessees. The agreement will now include an option for operators to terminate their contract with three months’ notice at any time.
- A First Year Support Package for new lessees including payment of support rates or Sky license fees, beer discounts and rewards for high beer sales or good mystery shopping scores.
- A 12-month rollout of new initiatives for all lessees including a food support programme featuring menus, coffee solutions, kitchen investment and online training via a support-focused website.
Moore explained the changes were part of Heineken UK's ambition to become 'the most successful and sustainable leased pub business' in the country.
"Integrating with our wider on-trade business has been key to the transformation of the company providing the reassurance of stable ownership by a brewer that has unrivalled market knowledge and expertise and is committed to the long-term success of the British pub," he concluded.
Heineken UK is currently on the hunt for a business development manager to maximise the potential of 50-60 of its pubs following the Star Pubs & Bars rebrand. For more info on the role and to apply - visit BigHospitality Jobs.