Star Pubs Opens First of 35 New JAT Sites in 2026

Star Pubs is to roll out 35 new managed operator Just Add Talent (JAT) sites in 2026, the first of which, The Earl of Beaconsfield in Cambridge city centre, opened at the weekend following a 15-month closure. The expansion will bring the number of JAT sites in the Star Pubs estate to over 250 by the end of the year.

The £330,000 upgrade of The Earl of Beaconsfield, once a popular wet-led pub, has transformed the prominent city centre pub into a top-quality wet-led local offering sports, music and entertainment. Four new jobs have been created on the back of the investment.

The exterior now boasts a standout courtyard garden seating 40, complete with a 26-capacity open garden room featuring a TV and a striking mural celebrating The Boat Race. The interior has been transformed with smart, stylish décor and incorporates a bar, lounge and games room, kitted out with a new halo-lit darts board with electronic scoring and a state-of-the-art AV system showing Sky and TNT Sports. As with other JAT sites, entertainment will be key to the offer, and The Earl of Beaconsfield will host regular karaoke and live acts.

Star Pubs Operations Director Mick Howard said:

"Re-opening a closed pub and returning it to the community is a great way to start the year.

"Cambridge city centre has a wide range of hospitality venues but, in the pub's vicinity, there's a gap in the market for a premium wet-led local with a great sports offer. Opening in January gives The Earl of Beaconsfield time to establish itself as a go-to place to watch the World Cup.

"The Just Add Talent managed model combines low cost and low risk with high support and earnings potential. It is proving fantastically popular, enabling us to double our talent bank pipeline and ensure we hit our 2026 expansion targets."