Back to Search results

Drummond Arms, Southampton

Southampton, SO17 3AA

1 / 11
Pub gallery image
Pub gallery image
Pub gallery image

Agreement Type:

Long Term Agreement (5 Year Tenancy)
Community Local

Your investment:

£12,000
  • Low ingoing rent prior to completion of significant property investment
  • Opportunity to deliver one of the best beer gardens in Southampton
  • Uniquely located in dense population between Community and University student market

This pub is not currently trading, and we are seeking a passionate individual or team to take it forward and unlock its full potential. Admiral Taverns will provide a strong support network along with a competitive financial package to help you bring your vision to life.

  • 3+ Private Bedrooms

  • Beer Garden

  • Cask Ale

  • Kitchen

  • Food Preparation Area

  • Live Music

  • Sports Teams

The Drummond Arms is a substantial community pub close to the University of Southampton and Southampton Common, surrounded by a densely populated mix of students, young professionals, families and established residents. Its standout feature is an exceptional, secluded beer garden with raised lawn, terraces, barbecue space and pergola seating. We are seeking an energetic, community-minded licensee who can build relationships with residents, university staff, students and community groups, operating the pub as a welcoming neighbourhood clubhouse rather than relying solely on sport and late-night entertainment.

Subject to final approval, a major refurbishment is planned to create The Drummond Social Garden, a distinctive all-day venue combining flexible social and meeting spaces, excellent Wi-Fi, casual food, pool, darts, games and one of the strongest pub gardens in the area.

Positioned in the heart of Portswood, the Drummond Arms presents a rare opportunity to take on a substantial community pub with excellent facilities and one of the most impressive beer gardens in Southampton. Located within easy reach of the University of Southampton, Southampton Common and a densely populated residential area, the pub is uniquely placed to attract a diverse customer base including students, young professionals, university staff and local residents

Pub Layout

The Drummond Arms offers a flexible trading layout that can appeal to a wide range of customers and occasions. A central bar servery sits at the heart of the pub, providing visibility throughout the main trading space and creating a natural focal point for customers entering the venue. The spacious open-plan interior provides distinct areas for drinking, dining and socialising, allowing the successful operator to cater for both community regulars and the large student and young professional population that surrounds the pub. To the rear of the trading area is an established games space featuring pool and darts, creating a dedicated social hub that supports leagues, competitions and group occasions. A well-positioned trade kitchen sits directly behind the bar, giving excellent access to all trading areas and offering significant scope to develop a food-led offer that complements the pub’s wet sales and social atmosphere.

One of the pub’s most impressive features is the extensive rear beer garden. Accessed directly from the main trading areas, this superb outdoor space incorporates terraces, lawned areas, pergola seating and multiple customer zones, providing exceptional capacity for outdoor dining, events, social gatherings and year-round trade. The garden is considered one of the property’s strongest assets and offers a genuine competitive advantage within the local market. The private accommodation is equally generous, comprising three bedrooms, a lounge, kitchen, bathroom and office, making this an attractive proposition for a licensee looking to live on site and become part of the local community.

The Drummond Arms is currently a traditional wet-led community pub serving a loyal customer base of residents and students. Historically it has traded with a 80/20 split wet/dry. The designated sports area accommodates both pool and darts teams further supported by screens to accommodate televised sports. There is a diverse customer base and provides a strong platform for future growth.

Subject to full and final board approval, Admiral Taverns is exploring a significant capital investment designed to unlock the pub’s full potential and create a destination that stands apart from the local competition. Rather than competing solely as another sports, quiz or entertainment venue, the vision is to transform the Drummond into “Portswood’s Social Garden” – a vibrant, all-day community hub built around one of the best beer gardens in Southampton.

The proposed investment would focus on enhancing the pub’s strongest assets, including the creation of an outstanding garden experience, improved internal trading spaces, upgraded food facilities and dedicated social areas for gaming, community events, study and informal meetings. The aim is to create a pub that appeals to students, young professionals, university staff and local residents throughout the day and evening, offering a broader and more distinctive experience than nearby competitors.

Admiral Taverns is keen to work collaboratively with the successful applicant and welcomes discussion around these concepts. Investment plans remain indicative and applicants will have the opportunity to help shape both the final design and retail proposition before any refurbishment plans are finalised.

Private Accommodation

The private accommodation is very spacious and comprises of three bedrooms, lounge, bathroom, kitchen and office.

Stepped rent structure (introductory period):

  • Weeks 1–4: £195 per week plus VAT
  • Weeks 5–8: £288 per week plus VAT
  • Weeks 9 onwards: £346 per week plus VAT (until the refurbishment has been completed)

Post Investment Weekly Rent: £480.77 (Subject to final board approval)

Estimated Annual Turnover*: £312,969

Security Deposit: Initial deposit of £2,000, building up to £6,250 as part of investment

Working Capital: £7,000

Stock: £3,000

Business Rates: £Nil. – Based on the draft rating list for April 2026, the Nil Rates Payable is based on small business rates relief being applied for by the licensee and the licensee only occupying one property for commercial purposes.  Please note, this only applies to pubs marked with an Asterix *

Fixtures and Fittings: To be confirmed upon valuation –  funding options may be available for the right licensee.

Tie: All drinks categories are tied.  For fully funded licensees on long term agreements, we offer free-of-tie options for certain drinks categories in exchange for an annual fee.

For a breakdown on financial information, please refer to the ‘Additional Info’ tab.

Admiral Taverns is exploring a significant investment into the Drummond Arms to create a distinctive community-focused venue that better reflects the area’s mix of students, young professionals, university staff and local residents.

The proposed scheme will centre around enhancing the pub’s biggest competitive advantage: its exceptional beer garden, supported by upgraded trading areas, improved food facilities, social gaming spaces, flexible seating and improved customer facilities

Rather than competing solely on sport, quizzes or live music, the vision is to create “Portswood’s Social Garden” – a venue combining food, drinks, social gaming, community activity, study/work space and one of the best outdoor spaces in the area. This would provide a point of difference from nearby competitors whilst retaining a strong community-pub feel.

The investment proposals currently remain indicative and are subject to full and final board approval. Admiral Taverns is keen to discuss these ideas with prospective applicants and would welcome input from the successful operator before the final design and retail proposition are agreed.

Weekly Rent – This is our lowest rent figure associated with a Full Tie.  If the tie is reduced the effective rent (via Tie Release Fees) will increase.  Rent is billed and paid for weekly in advance depending on the payment terms agreed). On occasion, our Business Development Manager will discuss a start up rent which is discretionary to an individual pub and can be discussed.

Estimated Annual Turnover*: The forecasted annual turnover is the assessed Fair Maintainable Turnover by a Reasonably Efficient Operator and is shown as net of VAT and excludes machine income.

Security Deposit – A security deposit is required when applying for a pub with Admiral.  This will be the greater of £5,000 or three months’ headline rent. The deposit is held on your account and returned when you leave, subject to your final account balance and the condition of the property.  We will also carry out a credit check as part of your application, which may affect the deposit amount required.

Working Capital – This is a recommend amount required which will be used in the day-to-day running of the business.

Stock – This will be valued by an independent valuer on the day you take over the pub. This includes unbranded glassware, unopened bottles, wines, spirits, any unopened / opened kegs and cask ale providing the container is unopened.

Fixtures & Fittings – This includes any item that is bolted to the floor or walls, and a fitting to be any item that is free standing or hung by a nail or hook. This will also include furniture.

Tie: All drinks categories are tied.  For fully funded licensees on long term agreements, we offer free-of-tie options for certain drinks categories in exchange for an annual fee.

Training – £350.00 – Before signing a long term agreement, you will be required to attend our 7 Steps to Sales Success training programme.  Held online over two days, you will learn marketing and business strategies that will help you to grow sales in your pub – step-by-step.

Service Charge Cost – £65.86 per week – The Admiral Taverns Premium Maintenance Package will help take care of your compliance and statutory obligations with one simple fee, whilst giving you piece of mind about your boiler and cellar cooling repair and replacement.  This also includes full access to e-learning for you and your staff.

Zero Business Rates* – Based on the draft rating list for April 2026, the Nil Rates Payable is based on small business rates relief being applied for by the licensee and the licensee only occupying one property for commercial purposes.  Please note, this only applies to pubs marked with an Asterix *

Download PDF
Demographics Report

You may also be interested in

Fawcett, Portsmouth 14
1 / 15

Fawcett, Portsmouth

Portsmouth, PO4 0DP

  • Fantastic, prominent location in desirable area
  • An exciting opportunity to elevate and expand the food offer
  • Strong reputation as a quality community pub
View pub
pub-placeholder
1 / 8

Titanic, Southampton

Southampton, SO14 2BE

  • Historical, city centre landmark pub
  • Strong local following
  • Popular with tourists as linked with RMS Titanic

 

View pub
pub-placeholder
1 / 8

Golden Lion, Fareham

Fareham, PO16 7AE

  • Fantastic high street location
  • Large secluded garden with covered patio area
  • Opportunity to drive food sales
View pub

Frequently Asked Questions

We believe we do things differently to other pub companies. To us its quite simple – great pubs are run by great people, so we focus on ensuring we can empower you to run a successful pub business. Every licensee is different, and no two pubs are the same, so we carefully tailor the range of agreements, support and training packages we offer to give you all you need to run your own pub.

The first step is to call our recruitment team and have a chat with us. We’ll probably suggest you attend one of our recruitment events as nothing beats a face to face chat. It’s also a good idea to research the sort of pub you are interested in ahead of time, so you have a clear picture of the competition in the area and what the local community looks for in that pub.

In order to run a pub, you will need a personal license which regulates the sale of alcohol in a pub. This can be achieved through attending a one-day course, ending in a multiple-choice exam. Once you’ve passed the exam, you then need to apply to your local council, for your personal licence. Admiral can easily help you with this by offering a discounted rate. Finally, you will also need to complete PEAT training (Pre Entry Awareness Training), an online course which explains the leased and tenanted pub agreement you are about to take on.

Our default agreement is our 5 Year Tenancy Agreement with a range of support available to you throughout your agreement with Admiral. We also offer induction training, our 7 Steps to Sales Success course is a 2 day online course that will provide you with the knowledge to run a pub and get you off to a great start before you get started. In addition to this, we offer other training workshops on a wide range of topics such as Marketing, Social Media, Cellar Training along with online training including Food Hygiene, Health & Safety and lots of other related courses. There is simply training available for every subject. When you take on a pub with us, your Business Development Manager will discuss your training requirements with you and identify areas where you may benefit from additional support or training.

Rents are based on open market value, Fair Maintainable Trade (FMT) and the future trading potential of the premises. This entails an assessment of the turnover and profitability that a reasonably efficient operator would be expected to achieve, taking into account the optimum trading style for the premises and making reasonable allowances for costs. This will involve estimating the trading potential rather than just adopting the actual level of trade under the existing ownership. This method of valuation is known as “the Profits Method”.

We want to empower our licensees to get on with the day to day running of the pub, as well as giving you the knowledge that you can count on us for as much (or as little) support as you need. Our team are truly passionate about community pubs and we want to do as much as we can to help you run sustainable and profitable businesses. Our support includes but isn’t limited to the following: Commercial & Marketing Support, Food Team, Licensing, Property Help Desk, Investments, Machines and Training.

Our BDMs work hard to build strong working relationships with their licensees. Your BDM is there to help you develop your pub and can support you in many different ways. From guidance around products and pricing, planning events, marketing your pub and development and training, our BDMs are empowered to make quick decisions which will help you move forward with your business.

We are continually investing in our pubs. From transformational refurbishments to small improvements where it really counts, we run an active investment programme and are committed to improving our estate of pubs. We also are fully invested in working alongside our licensees during the investment process to bring their ideas to fruition.

Admiral operates under the tenanted and leased model whereby we as the pub company own the pub and agree to rent the premises to you via a lease or tenancy agreement. Most tenancies/leases include a negotiated supply agreement covering the purchase of all drinks categories and possibly a range of other goods and services (hence the phrase ‘tied’ pubs). The level of rent you agree to pay at your pub will be dependent upon the extent of your purchasing obligations. Our rent offers are based on a Full Tie, and hence reflects the lowest rent payable. For licensees on long term agreements, we offer free-of-tie options for certain drinks categories in exchange for an annual fee. The prices you pay for drinks purchased from Admiral are likely to be different to those on the open market. When you take on the pub your BDM will discuss rent and the tie with you.

To enter into any tenancy agreement with Admiral, you will normally have to consider the following costs:
Personal Licence fee – This is the fee for obtaining your Personal Licence which you will require if you intend to be the Designated Premises Supervisor named on the premises licence.
Fixtures and Fittings (e.g. furniture, kitchen equipment, light
fittings, carpets etc) – These are usually valued on the day you enter the property. Whilst we prefer you to purchase the fixtures and fittings outright, there are occasions where we can provide alternative methods of purchase or may consider a rental agreement. Your BDM will discuss these options with you.
Deposit – The size of the deposit (or security bond) varies depending on the property and the commercial terms agreed but is normally the greater of a quarter’s rent or £5,000 and will be held for the duration of your agreement. In exceptional circumstances, we may allow you to pay a lower deposit and build this up over a time period.
Stock and glassware – These are purchased when you take over your pub, at an agreed valuation, from either the outgoing tenant or Admiral.
Working capital – The amount of working capital required (cash available) varies by pub, as each individual business requires different levels of funding. Your BDM will discuss this with you.
Pre Entry Awareness Training (PEAT) – This is mandatory training designed to raise awareness on the matters involved in operating a pub, from agreements, repairs and purchasing obligations. The cost of this course is £100 plus VAT.

Yes absolutely. We are always keen to encourage successful licensees to develop. Our BDMs work together with our licensees to achieve this and identify new opportunities. We also run training workshops to help you to gain the right skills, so you can take the step from running just one business to expanding with a second pub.

Admiral Taverns accept payment by Direct Debit or Open Banking (Pay by Link) only. Our Business Development Managers will discuss which method is most appropriate for you during the application process.

Keep up to date with vacancies

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.