The UK's biggest brewer has revealed it will open another 30 pubs throughout the UK after reaching a massive milestone. Greene King said its franchise division Greene King Pub Partners has now hit 100 franchised pubs - just four years after launching its first site.

The company opened 30 new franchise pubs in 2025, including its first location in Scotland, and is now planning a further expansion across Britain. Penelope Bruce, Pub Partners franchise operations director, said: "We are over the moon to have hit the magic number of 100 franchise pubs. 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.

"We continue to see lots of interest in our pub franchise agreements from experienced pub managers looking to take the step up and run their own pub business, and are actively seeking applicants to run the pubs in our pipeline."

Among the pubs launched in 2025 were The Tarbet in Edinburgh - the company's first franchise site in Scotland - along with The Dolphin in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire, and The Two Poplars in Wokingham, Berkshire.

The expansion will see a further 30 franchised sites open under its Hive Pub and Nest Pub models, with experienced pub managers invited to apply to run the venues.

The company has also hired two business development managers to cover the franchise's expanded geography.

The expansion comes as the wider pub sector continues to face mounting pressures, with recent research suggesting around one in eight British pubs are at risk of insolvency.

Research by accountants Price Bailey found 8,605 pubs are currently operating with negative assets, including about 4,800 classed in the highest credit-risk category - around 13% of all pubs and at risk of a winding-up petition.

Operators are being squeezed by rising energy bills, increases to the National Living Wage and higher National Insurance costs, while fragile consumer demand has also hit trade as households cut back spending.

Hospitality leaders warn pubs remain caught between escalating fixed costs and reduced customer spending, with 181 pub insolvencies recorded across Britain in the final three months of 2025 alone.