Greene King has confirmed it has invested almost £42m across 130 of its pubs during the first half of this year, with £24m invested in 62 of the company’s managed venues alone.

The move comes as the pub operator looks to modernise its UK estate, while expanding its Pub Partners franchise operation into new locations such as Scotland.

“We are determined to offer our customers the best pub experience and so it is important to maintain momentum in our investment plans despite the challenging wider economic environment,” said CEO Nick Mackenzie.

“We have some brilliant pubs in great locations and we want to make the most out of our bricks and mortar so our pub teams can thrive in the best settings and give our customers great hospitality and fantastic experiences.”

The project included a £1.1m renovation of the Railway pub, next to London’s Liverpool Street station, and the opening of Greene King’s second Farmhouse Kitchen site.

“Customers appreciate the efforts we go to in making their local the best it can be and we intend to keep investing in our estate and maximising the potential of our brands and assets. However, we can only continue to do this if the government supports the sector so it is given the potential to thrive.”