Heineken is in talks to buy 300 pubs from debt-laden Stonegate in a £300m deal

From the Newshound archive · first published 20 September 2026.

Stonegate, Britain's biggest pub company, is seeking to sell up to 1,000 pubs to reduce a debt burden exceeding £3bn, with Heineken the leading candidate to acquire 300 of them in a £300m deal. The Dutch brewing giant already runs around 2,350 pubs across Britain through its Star Pubs & Bars brand. Stonegate is led by David McDowall, who previously served as chief commercial officer at BrewDog. City sources caution that a deal is far from certain, with other potential buyers still in the running.

Heineken's move would add 300 venues to its UK estate, boosting distribution of brands including Birra Moretti, Amstel and Cruzcampo.

Stonegate has been converting its managed pubs into leased and tenanted sites as part of a wider business overhaul to tackle its £3bn-plus debt pile.

Some rival bidders are said to be eyeing the full 1,000-pub estate rather than just the 300 properties Heineken is targeting.