QUICK VERDICT
Opportunity Type Amber Taverns Tied Tenancy Pubco Amber Taverns Google Rating 4.5 stars (924 reviews) Ingoing Cost £5,000–£15,000 estimated Working Capital Needed £18,000–£25,000 minimum Trade Character Hartburn Village TS18, 11:30pm close weekdays, 10:30pm Sunday, 924 reviews, affluent residential village within Stockton Best Suited To Teesside quality community operator; Hartburn Village TS18 is one of Stockton-on-Tees\’ most affluent residential areas Shaun\’s Rating \[ \] Watch Out For DATA/NAME QUERY: The draft title is \’Stockton\’ but the photo credit references \’The Masham.\’ Hartburn Village TS18 is an affluent Stockton suburb. The Masham is a specific pub name likely referencing the North Yorkshire market town of Masham (home of Theakston and Black Sheep breweries) — confirming the actual trading name with Amber Taverns is important. If it trades as The Masham, the real ale identity that name implies should match the product offering.
Running this problem at your pub?
This independent assessment was prepared by SmartPubTools using the following publicly available sources:
- Pub listing data: Amber Taverns published listings — availability, agreement type and rent figures sourced directly from the pub company's own website
- Google rating & reviews: Google Places API — ratings and review counts retrieved programmatically from Google Maps data
- Local population & demographics: ONS Census 2021 — population figures, age profiles and household data
- Local employment data: NOMIS Official Labour Market Statistics — employment rates and major local employer data
- Pubs Code information: Pubs Code Adjudicator (UK Government) — tied tenant rights and MRO entitlements
- Operator perspective: SmartPubTools is operated by a working pub landlord under a Marston's Community Retail Partnership at Teal Farm Pub, Washington NE38 — assessments reflect genuine first-hand operator experience
Here's the system I use at The Teal Farm to fix it — real-time labour %, cash position, and VAT liability in one dashboard. 30-minute setup. £97 once, no monthly fees.
Get Pub Command Centre — £97 →No monthly fees. 30-day money-back guarantee. Built by a working pub landlord.
THE LOCAL PICTURE
This pub is at 87 Hartburn Village, Stockton-on-Tees TS18 5DR. Hartburn Village is a residential area within Stockton-on-Tees sitting between the town centre and the affluent suburban communities of Preston and Eaglescliffe. It is one of Stockton\’s more established and prosperous residential areas.
Stockton-on-Tees is a Teesside town of approximately 85,000 people, home to the world\’s first passenger railway (the Stockton and Darlington Railway, 1825). Key employers: NHS North Tees and Hartlepool Foundation Trust, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, Teesside University, and the chemical and industrial operations of the Teesside economy.
If the pub trades as \’The Masham,\’ the Masham connection implies a quality real ale identity (Masham in North Yorkshire is home to two of England\’s most celebrated independent breweries — Theakston\’s and Black Sheep). 924 reviews at 4.5 stars from Hartburn Village is an exceptional community pub reputation for a residential Teesside neighbourhood.
WHAT THE PUB IS
The pub opens at 11am, closes at 11:30pm Monday to Saturday, and 10:30pm Sunday. Clean hours without late-night complexity. No 1am licence, no door management overhead. 924 reviews at 4.5 stars in a Teesside residential community is evidence of consistent quality delivery over time — this pub has built genuine neighbourhood loyalty.
If the trading name is The Masham, confirm the real ale product offering matches the expectation that name creates. The Hartburn Village demographic — professionals, established families — will have a quality expectation to match.
THE AMBER TAVERNS DEAL
Amber Taverns tied tenancy. Hartburn Village\’s professional residential demographic supports above-average Teesside pricing. The tied pricing analysis should account for this community\’s spending expectations rather than a generic Stockton town centre community pub benchmark.
Confirm the trading name and any real ale product range implications with Amber Taverns before signing.
FINANCIAL REALITY
Metric Estimate Ingoing Cost £5,000–£15,000 estimated Working Capital Required £18,000–£25,000 (liquid, not borrowed) Agreement Type Amber Taverns Tied Tenancy Tied Supplies Yes — if trading as \’The Masham,\’ confirm real ale range is appropriate Break-Even Timeline 12–18 months NAME QUERY Draft says \’Stockton\’ but photo credit says \’The Masham\’ — confirm trading name with Amber Taverns 924 Reviews at 4.5 Exceptional Teesside residential community reputation — one of the best in the series
PUBS CODE RIGHTS — KNOW BEFORE YOU SIGN
PUBS CODE RIGHTS — KNOW BEFORE YOU SIGN
- Independent rent assessment — exercise your Pubs Code right before signing
- Request full P&L projections from Amber Taverns before committing
- Obtain Schedule of Condition at entry — protects you on dilapidations
- Get the full tied product price list before you agree terms
- Complete Amber Taverns pre-entry training (required)
- Right to a free Market Rent Only option assessment
- Right to independent legal and financial advice before signing
WHO THIS SUITS
A Teesside quality community operator who understands Hartburn Village\’s professional residential demographic and can maintain 4.5-star delivery. Confirm the trading name first. If The Masham, real ale competence is essential. Minimum £18,000 liquid capital.
WHAT WORKS / WHAT DOESN\’T
WHAT WORKS
- 924 reviews at 4.5 stars in a professional Teesside residential community — outstanding inherited reputation
- No late-night complexity — clean 11:30pm maximum, keeping operating costs manageable
- Hartburn Village professional demographic supporting above-average Teesside pricing
WHAT DOESN\’T WORK
- Using the Masham name without delivering the quality real ale product range it implies
WHAT YOU NEED ON DAY ONE
Trading name confirmed with Amber Taverns. If The Masham: real ale range confirmed before opening. EPOS at Hartburn Village premium pricing. Professional stocktaking from week two.
GET YOUR NUMBERS RIGHT BEFORE YOU SIGN
Before you sign anything, know your numbers.
Pub Command Centre gives you real-time labour %, VAT and cash position from day one. £97 once.
https://smartpubtools.com/5684-2/