BRISTOL COMMUNITY PUB REOPENED FOLLOWING TRANSFORMATIONAL MAKEOVER

The Union Arms, located in Bristol, officially reopened on Friday 5th June following a transformational investment of more than £416,000. The pub is part of Proper Pubs, the award-winning community wet-led operator division of Admiral Taverns, which operates more than 200 pubs across England, Scotland and Wales.

Inside, the pub has been completely transformed to include brand new flooring, fixtures and fittings throughout, as well as five flat screen televisions fitted with Sky and TNT Sports. The refurbished pub will also include two new dart boards and a pool table in the games area for customers to enjoy, along with an updated bar and snug area.

Outside, The Union Arms has undergone a stunning transformation, now featuring a large screen TV perfect for outdoor viewing, along with heated, all-weather-proof seating areas and a variety of other wonderful seating options throughout the space.

There are also garden games to keep the little ones entertained and children are welcome until 7pm daily. The pub also has a dedicated green area for four-legged companions, who are more than welcome to join customers on a lead.

It will offer a wide range of drinks promotions, including Wine Wednesday, where customers can get £2 off a bottle, Fizz Friday, offering customers a bottle of fizz for £10, along with cocktails, bottle and shot deals throughout the week.

Paul Roberts, Operator of The Union Arms, said: “It’s been amazing watching the refurbishment come to life at The Union Arms. The pub looks terrific, and it was a joy to reopen and show off its brand-new look to the community. We’ve already had great feedback from customers so overall I’d say the reopening was a huge success and I can’t wait for what the future holds. The World Cup is almost upon us so it’s brilliant to have our new screens up and running for customers to support their teams and enjoy the atmosphere of the tournament.

Once again, I’d like to thank the Proper Pubs team for all its support throughout this journey, and I look forward to making the community proud!”

On top of the fantastic drinks selection, the operator hosts a busy schedule of entertainment for customers to enjoy including a weekly quiz and local darts league on a Monday evening, along with live music every Friday and Saturday starting from 8.30pm. Paul is also hoping to support all aspects of community life by collecting food to donate to the local foodbank. Going forward, he also hopes to support Claire House Children’s Hospice, The British Heart Foundation and Dementia UK with organising charity events.

Matt Gurney, Operations Director for Proper Pubs, said: “Paul is a brilliant example of an individual who is passionate about his local community and wants to create a pub which caters specifically for its local area. On behalf of myself and the Proper Pubs team, we’d like to thank Paul for all his hard work, and we wish him the very best for the future!”

Bringing people together in local areas and creating vibrant social hubs which support their communities is very important to us, so we are glad that we could support Paul in making this happen.”

Proper Pubs is always looking for ways to support its communities through an annual schedule of events and fundraising initiatives. This year over Easter it collected 21,619 easter eggs to donate to local charities and in 2025 operators collected 20,500 selection boxes to donate to local charities and communities in need for Christmas, as well as raising £80,255 for Admiral Taverns’ charity partner, Claire House Hospice.

Furthermore, last year, Proper Pubs also successfully donated enough food to local foodbanks across the UK to feed 1,300 people for a week and has also been recognised in the UK-wide defibrillator installation campaign which has already saved 11 lives.

In 2026, Proper Pubs was listed as a finalist in the Best Community Pub category at the Great British Publican Awards and was previously crowned Community Pub Operator at the Publican Awards in 2024. Proper Pubs is committed to supporting operators to run successful pubs with sustainable, long-term futures. The best operators are passionate about pubs and eager to play a central role in their local communities. With a diverse range of pubs available across the UK, Proper Pubs is always looking for talented people who are ready to take the next step and run their own pub.

Operating as a true partnership, running a Proper Pub gives people the chance to manage and shape the day-to-day operations of the pub with the security of being part of the Admiral Taverns group and the expert support from dedicated Business Development Managers.

For many, it’s an opportunity not just to take on a pub, but to build a long-term career they are passionate about.

1 Greystoke Ave, Bristol BS10 6AF

The Union Arms, Bristol – Proper Pubs

ENDS