Heineken partners with local pubs to rescue after-work pints

Beer brand Heineken has renamed several UK pubs “The Office”, and it’s offering a free drink in a bid to entice punters in and revive the tradition of after-work drinks.

Urging people to “come back to the office”, Heineken is promising a free Heineken Original or Heineken 0.0 from Monday to Friday after 4.59pm at the five locations.

But, while the promotion is obviously designed to get a few laughs, it also reflects how hospitality businesses are still struggling with footfall all of these years after the Pandemic.

Free drinks

For office workers who fancy a pint, Heineken has set up a sign up option on its website and from there, they’ll be sent a voucher. It can be shared with up to three friends for up to one pint per punter.

The voucher is valid at nearly 1,000 pubs in the UK but only five have been renamed (albeit temporarily). These are:

• Two Bridges in Bermondsey
• The Devonshire Arms on Duke Street in London
• Atlas Bar in Deansgate, Manchester
• The Cross Keys on Earle St in Liverpool
• The Admiral Woods on Waterloo St in Glasgow

Falling footfall

The move might be a promotion for the Heineken brand but it could also bring much needed custom to hospitality businesses hit by falling custom as many office workers continue to work remotely at least a couple of days a week.

Recent data suggests that this is not something employees want to see change, valuing flexibility to the extent that they would take a financial hit to maintain it.

However, for hospitality businesses in central town or city locations, next to office buildings, this has meant a huge hit on the numbers of customers leaving work and coming in for a drink or meal.

It has been reflecting in the falling confidence of those working in this industry. In January, we reported on our annual survey of business leaders and those in the hospitality sector were the least optimistic about growth in 2025 than any other sector.

Perfect storm of problems

Lower footfall has also come at the same time as rising costs, National Insurance hikes for employers, and a shortage of talent. Those within the industry have also been vocal in their criticism of the business rates system, which is charged on property not profit.

Nick Mackenzie, Greene King’s chief executive, told The Guardian in July: “It isn’t fair that the sector has 0.4% of the rateable property but pays 2.1% of the bills. The sector is a massive employer and incredibly important for local communities, so we just feel it is important to underline how beneficial it is to tax pubs fairly.”

On top of this, proposed changes to zero-hours contracts will also hit the industry, though its impact on employee rights protection makes this a topic that has supporters on both sides.

With reports suggesting that the hospitality industry shrunk in the first half of 2025, there is no doubt that any bid to get punters through pub doors will be welcome; but it will take more than one promotion to boost an ailing industry.