Greene King opens 36th Hive Pub after £700,000 transformation

Greene King Pub Partners, the leased, tenanted and franchise division of Greene King, has opened its 36th Hive Pub.

The Coach & Horses in Wideopen, Tyne and Wear, which was previously known as The Traveller’s Rest, has reopened as a Hive Pub after a £700,000 investment. 

The new pub has been given its name to commemorate the Great North Road which the pub sits upon, which was the main road and thoroughfare in Wideopen dating back to when Coaches and Horses were the primary mode of transport.

As part of its transformation to a Hive Pub, The Coach & horses has been overhauled both inside and out – expanding and upgrading its space and facilities for local pub goers.

Inside, the pub has been overhauled with new lighting, furniture, decorations, flooring and more to create the modern look and feel of a Hive Pub.

Outside, the garden at the pub has also been transformed with beautiful outdoor garden furniture and a covered terrace for all-year round use of the pub’s beer garden.

The pub will be operated by franchisees Lindsay and Chris, who are brother and sister as well as local to the area. Together, the pair have 47 years’ experience of managing and running pubs and other hospitality businesses.

As a Hive Pub, the Coach & Horses will provide everything a pub goer could want from their local under one roof. This includes a great range of beers and other drinks, an extensive range of food and a regular programme of live entertainment plus Sky Sports and BT Sport subscriptions to show all major sporting events.

The beer on offer at the pub ranges from standard and premium lagers, to ciders, stouts and ales – plus a number of craft beers for those looking for something extra special. The pub will also serve a range of spirits, wines, soft drinks and alcohol-free options. 

The food offer at the pub will include traditional pub classics such as Fish & Chips, Burgers and Pies, as well as sharers and tapas style plates. The pub will have regular offers on including a 2-4-1 Burger Night, Steak and Wine Night, plus Pizza’s and more.

Aimed at those with experience of running a pub, the Hive Pubs franchise agreement gives licensees a ready to trade pub within a proven branded concept for just £5,000 ingoing cost. Franchisees get a minimum guaranteed income of £20,000 which is paid weekly. They also get a percentage of food and drink sales. In addition, they get a share of the profits in their pub and can earn a bonus on top of this.

Hive Pubs recently won “Best New Concept” at the Foodservice Equipment Journal 2022 Awards and Greene King was recently accredited for its franchise pub offer by the British Franchise Association.

Chris and Lindsay, Franchisees of The Coach & Horses, said: 

“We cannot wait to open and welcome everyone into our new pub – it really is a dream come true.

“Greene King’s investment in The Coach & Horses has transformed the pub beyond recognition. We chose the new name for the pub ourselves as we wanted to show it is a new pub with a fresh start.

“As a Hive Pub, we are going to offer a great range of drinks and food, combined with a regular drumbeat of entertainment and events for the local community to enjoy.”

Penny Baldwin, Operations Director for Greene King Pub Partners, said:

“I am delighted with our £700,000 investment in The Coach & Horses, which is our 36th Hive Pub to date. I am really excited to see how Chris and Lindsay grow their pub franchise business in the years to come.”