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‘Not just any pub’: More than 2,000 locals oppose brewery’s plans for changes at village boozer

By Chris Breese and Jack Simms

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More than 2,000 people have signed a petition against planned changes at a Nottinghamshire village pub over fears it will become a ‘generic chain’.

The Horse and Groom in Linby is due to undergo an overhaul led by Heineken, its multinational brewery owner.

Operating under its Star pubs management brand, the company is also suggesting the current landlord is leaving the premises, ahead of changes which include a sports bar area.

But locals have rallied around the pub and current landlord Phil Martin, rejecting the changes as a threat to its charm.

A petition launched online against the plans a week ago had reached 928 signatures by this morning (Tuesday, July 8), alongside more than 1,000 written names already added offline. Villagers have also won the backing of local Labour MP for Sherwood, Michelle Welsh.

“People come here because it isn’t a generic model of a pub that most pubs are like,” Linby Parish Councillor Wyn Lewis told Notts TV.

“There are loads of those pubs around us. And the reason people come here is because it isn’t like that. We don’t want Sky Sports, televisions. That’s not what this pub is about. Never has been, never will.”

Ms Welsh raised the issue in Parliament on Thursday (July 3), saying she was concerned the direction of owners such as Star meant many were “losing their charm and unique identity”.

Leader of the House Lucy Powell replied the Government wanted to support smaller more rural pubs in future.

Ms Welsh Notts TV: “Big companies want to take over our little village pubs, and we need to stand up and preserve that tradition, because if we’re not careful, we will lose it all. And this is really important to this community. It’s a meeting place, it’s a hub. It’s about wellbeing.”

In May Heineken UK announced it was investing £40 million in 2025 upgrading pubs in its Star division, saying “well-invested pubs trade better”.

When asked about the Horse and Groom, A Star spokesperson added: “The building will benefit from a fresh new look, including external redecoration and new signage.

“The interior of this much-loved community pub will see the installation of a new AV system and more modern TVs, plus a brand-new sports area in a room which previously had limited use. Other areas of the interior will remain unchanged, with bar and dining areas for customers to enjoy.”