Northern pub chain Amber Taverns is bringing £3 pints to London as part of its expansion into the south. The company has its eyes on Bromley, southeast London, as it spies venues in the suburbs of the capital, as part of a strategy to snap up unloved locals and former retail units.
Its new site will replace what was once the Barrel and Horn on Bromley High Street with a new boozer, Saving Grace. Amber Taverns has not yet confirmed when its first Greater London pub will officially open its doors, but its pints are likely to be considerably cheaper than those at many London boozers, where some beers now cost more than £8.
Expansion described as a 'natural progression'
Amber already has 175 pubs across the country, mainly in smaller towns across the north of England, the Midlands, Wales and Scotland, where pints typically range from £2.50 to £3.50.
Chairman James Baer described the expansion as a “natural progression”, following more than 15 new site openings in the previous financial year, investing in pubs ranging from Barry in Wales to Guiseley in Yorkshire.
“We are ambitious to grow. We feel the retail model now is strong enough to expand,” Baer told The Times. “People do still want to very much go to the pub, it’s just a matter of offering good value and a warm welcome.”
Steady move south with more sites in the pipeline
It has been steadily moving south. The Erasmus Wolfe in Gosport, Hampshire, opened in September 2025. Since then, it has expanded into Taunton, Stroud, Weymouth, Barnstaple and Salisbury.
Other locations, including Cosham, Colchester, Eastleigh, Hastings, Dumbarton and Thornaby, are also in the pipeline, although they have not yet been confirmed.
Wet-led model keeps costs down
Unlike many pub chains, Amber is primarily “wet-led”, meaning its focus is on drinks rather than food. Its pubs typically offer a limited selection of bar snacks.
The model helps avoid some of the costs associated with running a larger food operation, including higher energy bills and additional employee National Insurance contributions.
