Star Pubs and Bars to add 100 operator managed venues by 2026

Star Pubs and Bars plans to increase its ‘Just Add Talent’ JAT managed operator business from its current 150 pubs to 250 by 2026, making up approximately 12% of the company’s 2,400 pub estate. 

While the company’s core business will remain leased and tenanted, its JAT pubs will be an “important” constituent. 

The announcement comes on the back of robust trading and the popularity of the JAT model among applicants for pubs. 

According to Star, the model has proven particularly attractive in a high inflation environment as energy and overheads, as well as other staffing costs, are all covered by the company. Unlike other managed operator schemes, the earning potential for operators is unlimited. 

The JAT estate began in 2016 with Punch’s Falcon estate pubs converted to the model when the company took on the Punch pubs in 2018. 

Lawson Mountstevens, managing director of Star Pubs and Bars, said: “Our JAT pubs are great sites which have real appeal to operators and local communities. Although JAT pubs currently make up only 6% of the Star estate, 28% of applicants for our pubs are for JAT pubs.

“Our Just Add Talent pubs are a core part of our overall business. The JAT pubs provide an invaluable source of business insight for the wider L&T estate and Heineken. It allows the company to trial new products and evaluate consumer trends. Learnings from JAT estate and JAT supplier deals are rolled out to our leased & tenanted estate.”