QUICK VERDICT
Opportunity Type Amber Taverns Tied Tenancy Pubco Amber Taverns Google Rating 4.2 stars (554 reviews) Ingoing Cost £5,000–£15,000 estimated Working Capital Needed £15,000–£22,000 minimum Trade Character Anlaby Road Hull HU1, 9am opening, midnight Friday/Saturday, 554 reviews, Hull city centre edge Best Suited To Hull community operator with HU1 knowledge; Anlaby Road is a main arterial route from the city centre into west Hull Shaun\’s Rating \[ \] Watch Out For Ebenezer Cobb Morley (1831–1924) was the father of Association Football — he drafted the original Laws of the Game for the Football Association in 1863. Hull is a football city (Hull City AFC, Hull Kingston Rovers). Naming a pub after the man who wrote the rules of the game in a football-passionate city is a strong identity choice. Make sure the pub lives up to it.
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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
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THE LOCAL PICTURE
Ebenezer Morley is at 12–14 Anlaby Road, Hull HU1 2PA. Anlaby Road is a main arterial road running west from Hull city centre. HU1 is Hull\’s city centre postcode. Hull is a city of approximately 260,000 people with a specific maritime and industrial heritage. The city was UK City of Culture 2017, which significantly raised Hull\’s national cultural profile.
Ebenezer Morley was born in Hull. His drafting of the original Laws of the Game for the Football Association in 1863 — at a meeting in the Freemasons Tavern, London — is one of sport\’s most significant historical moments. A Hull pub bearing his name carries that heritage. Key employers: Siemens Gamesa (wind turbines), NHS Hull, Humber Teaching NHS Trust, and the Humber port economy.
WHAT THE PUB IS
Ebenezer Morley opens at 9am and closes at 11pm Monday to Thursday and Sunday, with midnight closes Friday and Saturday. The 9am open on Anlaby Road captures the morning commuter and community trade on a major arterial route. 554 reviews at 4.2 stars is a solid Hull arterial road performance.
THE AMBER TAVERNS DEAL
Amber Taverns tied tenancy. Hull\’s community market is price-conscious. Request the full price list.
FINANCIAL REALITY
Metric Estimate Ingoing Cost £5,000–£15,000 estimated Working Capital Required £15,000–£22,000 (liquid, not borrowed) Agreement Type Amber Taverns Tied Tenancy Tied Supplies Yes — request full price list Break-Even Timeline 12–18 months Ebenezer Morley Father of football; wrote the Laws of the Game in 1863; born in Hull Hull City of Culture 2017 Raised Hull\’s national profile; quality-conscious visitor economy growing
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 Hull community operator who understands the Anlaby Road arterial community and can make the Ebenezer Morley football heritage identity commercially active. Minimum £15,000 liquid capital.
WHAT WORKS / WHAT DOESN\’T
WHAT WORKS
- Ebenezer Morley — father of football, born in Hull; a genuinely powerful heritage identity for a football city
- 554 reviews at 4.2 stars providing solid established community presence
- Hull City of Culture legacy raising the city\’s quality expectations
WHAT DOESN\’T WORK
- The Morley football identity as wall decoration rather than genuine pub character
WHAT YOU NEED ON DAY ONE
EPOS from 9am. Football heritage in the pub\’s character. Professional stocktaking from week two.
GET YOUR NUMBERS RIGHT BEFORE YOU SIGN
Before you sign anything, know your numbers.
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