Yorkshire pub operators to relaunch Upton Arms after £200k revamp
The pub will feature a bar, lounge, stage for live acts and a sports zone equipped with a pool table, electronic darts boards and large screens showing Sky and TNT Sports
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Yorkshire pub operators Simon Woodcock and Richard Hepplestone are expanding their estate to 10 sites by taking the lease on The Upton Arms in Upton near Pontefract with Star Pubs.
The pair will reopen the venue following a £200,000 refurbishment aimed at positioning it as a “family-friendly” local focused on sport and live entertainment. Work begins this week.
Plans include a new 36-seat outdoor area with furniture, lighting and planting, and an internal refit with contemporary décor, new furniture and flooring.
The pub will feature a bar, lounge, stage for live acts and a sports zone equipped with a pool table, electronic darts boards and large screens showing Sky and TNT Sports. A 100-capacity function room will also be updated.
The investment is the second collaboration between Woodcock, Hepplestone and Star in 18 months, following a £198,000 revamp of The Black Bull in Ecclesfield in 2024.
Hepplestone said that the pair were seeking more pubs within 45 minutes of Barnsley. “Our focus is on wet-led locals surrounded by chimney pots. We’ll consider freeholds, but our expansion will be driven by leasing. Taking on a pub is all about the financials for us – they have to stack up.”
Len Jackson, Star Pubs’ investment manager for Yorkshire, added: “Simon and Richard are passionate about reviving traditional locals. Their expertise combined with Star’s financial backing are just what’s needed to relaunch The Upton Arms and put it back on the map.”
