Run a Star Pub - Doherty & Doyle (prev. The George), Leeds - Leeds

Job Details

Pub Overview

Doherty & Doyle is set to benefit from a refurbishment of around £320,000, transforming the former George Hotel into a premium London-style Irish bar in the heart of Leeds. What would you do with this pub to make it a success?

About the area

Located in Leeds town centre, directly opposite the main hospital, Doherty & Doyle sits in a high-footfall area close to student accommodation, Leeds Crown Court, the police station, the town hall, the medical school and a conference centre. Positioned on a main cycle route into the city centre and surrounded by ongoing regeneration, the pub is well placed to attract passing trade throughout the day and into the evening.

With 7,933 adults within a 10-minute walk and around 1,000 adults passing by every hour, the site has strong local and transient trade potential. The pub has been closed since 2022, so the refurbishment is a chance to reopen it with a fresh identity and reposition it for a broader and more diverse customer base, including younger professionals, after-work socialisers, hospital and court workers, and general walk-ins. The pub is one of only a handful of nearby competitors, with just two named rivals in the area.

The offer

Doherty & Doyle is available on our investment tenancy agreement. Click here for more information on this agreement. Please refer to the 'Refurbishment Details' section for details of the investment being made.

Who we're looking for

If you’ve benefited from running or owning a pub business, we’d love to hear what experience you can bring. The right operator for Doherty & Doyle will have extensive experience in premium wet-led hospitality businesses. They will have a clear vision for a premium drinks offer, a simple sport-led back bar food menu, Irish-themed entertainment, and a marketing strategy that builds strong appeal with passing trade, local professionals and after-work customers, and can create a memorable experience for their customers.

If this sounds like the incredible pub opportunity you’ve been waiting for, apply today and tell us what you can bring to this pub’s next chapter...

Features

• Investment Tenancy
  
• Refurbishment Planned
  
• Catering Kitchen
  
• Cask Ale
  
• Outdoor Trade
  
• Music Venue
  
• Private Accommodation
  

Trading Area & Facilities

The refurbishment of the pub will cover both the interior and exterior. A full list of works and pub floor plan can be found in the Downloads section. The pub's trading area and facilities post refurbishment will be:

• Main trading area with bar
• Snug area
• Separate games and sports zone
• 66 internal covers
• 16 external covers
• Catering kitchen
• HEINEKEN SmartDispense
• Pub garden
• One-bedroom self-contained private flat with a new kitchen and bathroom

Applicants should be aware that all refurbishments are subject to final board approval which will be determined as part of the leasing process. Where a significant investment is made in a pub by Star Pubs, an "Investment Exemption" will be required. The exemption means that the option of a Market Rent Option lease won't be available at rent review for a period of up to seven years for this site, as per The Pub Code (2016).

Private Accommodation

Private accommodation consists of one bedroom, a living room, kitchen and bathroom.

Pub Financials

Pub Financials Icon
With our 5 Star Promise, the rent at the start of your agreement is fixed until the end of its initial term.

Indicative entry costs

£52,895

Annual

Estimated Annual Turnover

£501,945

Annual Rent

£27,578

Entry Costs

Deposit

£6,895

Estimated Fixtures & Fittings Value

£35,000

Stock Valuation

£7,500

Working Capital Required

£3,500

The above figures are provided as a guide only and will be finalised as part of the commercial agreement. All figures quoted are exclusive of VAT.

Estimated Working Capital is an estimate of key start-up costs such as professional fees, training fee, premises license fee, F&F valuation fee & till floats. There will be additional ongoing charges payable during the term of the agreement such as property maintenance, repairs fund, SmartDispense. These costs will be outlined prior to completing a business plan and finalised at Heads of Terms.

The calculation of the Estimated Minimum Ingoing Costs assumes a minimum deposit of 1 month's rent and that fixtures and fittings (F&F) are rented. The subsequent deposit build up and F&F rental costs should be included in your financial assumptions in your business plan. Note that on FRI and Investment Tenancy Agreements deposits will always be 3 month's rent in advance and fixtures and fittings (F&F) must always be purchased. A deposit of 6 month's rent will be required for operators trading under a Limited Company with no Guarantors. In order to ensure a successful start-up, all applicants must have a minimum £10,000 un-borrowed funds.

Refurbishment Details

• New External Signage
  
• Refurbished Private Accommodation
  
• Interior Decor Refresh
  

What we're planning & why

Refurbishment details

A full transformation is planned for Doherty & Doyle, with investment of around £320,000 covering both the interior and exterior, including a revamp of the pub garden. The scheme will bring this long-closed site back to life as a premium London-style Irish bar with a completely refreshed look and feel.

What's happening?

This refurbishment is designed to reopen a dilapidated building that has been shut since 2022 and turn it into something distinctive for the area. The Irish theme will be the key USP, creating a concept unlike anything else nearby and helping the pub stand out against its competitors. New external signage and a full interior décor refresh will improve kerb appeal and modernise the experience, while the pub garden revamp will help unlock more seasonal trade.

The offer has clear potential to build around premium drinks, Irish-themed music and events throughout the week, and a very simple back bar food menu. This creates an opportunity for an experienced publican to shape a strong wet-led business with regular entertainment and a compelling day-to-night atmosphere that appeals to both destination visitors and passing footfall.

Why invest?

This is an opportunity to completely reposition a closed and underused site in a part of Leeds where demographics have shifted and the current offer no longer matches modern customer expectations. By reopening with a high-quality new identity, improved facilities and stronger visual appeal, the refurbishment is expected to increase turnover to £501,945. To explore some of our recent successful pub investment projects, please see our Investment Showcase page . The Devonshire Arms, London has recently undergone a similar transformation to what we are planning for Doherty & Doyle. To see the result, visit its website .

Downloads

• Demographics Report Download arrow
• Energy Performance Certificate Download arrow
• Floorplan Download arrow
• Schedule of Work Download arrow