A Town Centre Sports and Entertainment Venue with Real Potential

Planned Investment

Subject to full approval, Punch is planning investment to enhance both the internal trading space and the external areas of the pub.

This will include improvements to the bar environment and outside trading areas, helping to create a more engaging space for live sport, entertainment and social occasions. We also plan to add accommodation facilities upstairs.

The Pub

The Black Bear occupies a prominent position in the centre of Congleton, offering a rare opportunity to take on a highly visible site and reposition it as a go-to venue for sport, entertainment and great value.

The vision for the business is clear. We see the Black Bear as a lively, drinks-focused venue where customers come together to watch live sport, enjoy regular entertainment and be part of a strong weekly rhythm of activity.

The pub benefits from an open plan layout, creating flexibility for different occasions throughout the week, while screens are already in place to support a strong sports offer. Food will play a supporting role within the business, with scope for a simple, easy-to-execute menu that complements the drinks and sports offer. Options such as basket meals, loaded fries, sharers and other straightforward pub favourites could work well here.

Outside, there is opportunity to make more of the external areas, creating additional space for customers to enjoy during events, sporting occasions and the warmer months.

Location

The Black Bear is located on one of Congleton’s main routes, close to local schools, residential areas and other key amenities.

Congleton has a strong independent identity, an established hospitality scene and a busy town centre, providing a solid platform for a venue focused on sport, entertainment and social occasions.

Ideal Publican

This opportunity will suit an energetic, hands-on publican or partnership with a passion for creating a lively atmosphere.

We are looking for someone who can bring sport, entertainment and social occasions to the forefront of the business, creating reasons for customers to visit throughout the week. Confidence in using social media, promoting events and building local awareness will be just as important as delivering great service.

A visible operator with strong people skills, creativity and a genuine enthusiasm for engaging with customers will be well placed to relaunch the Black Bear and establish it as one of Congleton’s go-to social venues.

Accommodation

There is currently no private accommodation included with this pub, but following an investment upstairs, there is potential for 2 bedrooms, a lounge, a kitchen and a bathroom.

About the Agreement

At Punch, we support talented, ambitious entrepreneurs who want to run brilliant pubs at the heart of their communities. That’s why our agreements are designed to be flexible, supportive and built around your vision.

Our Flexible Tenancy gives you the freedom to run your own pub with confidence. A tied agreement of up to five years, where you’ll benefit from the drink products available to Punch which also offers flexible notice periods. We offer flexible deposits, tie‑release options, and pricing structures to help you shape your business in a way that works for you.

Why Choose Punch?

When you partner with Punch, you’ll have an entire support system behind you, including:

• A forward thinking pub company, recognised nationally with multiple industry awards including winners of the Publican Awards 2022 & 2024!
• Potential investment to unlock your pub’s full potential
• Industry leading training through our award winning Academy, complete with state of the art kitchens, bars and our immersive Progress with Punch training programme.
• Access to our powerful online platform, the Punch Buying Club, where you can order stock and find resources to help you run your pub successfully.
• Ongoing coaching from expert Operations Managers and specialist support teams.
• Innovative digital learning through THIRST, our gamified online training app, offering compliance training through to driving sales training.
• A commitment to “Doing Well, By Doing Good” by championing communities, wellbeing and sustainability at every step.

Curious about how this agreement could work for you? You will find our Partnering with Punch guide in the ‘Relevant Downloads’ section below.

Chat to a recruitment advisor now about this pub business opportunity.