Alfred Hitchcock’s Favourite Pub The Plough Starts 6-Month £1m Refurbishment

Multiple operators, The Haslam Family, have taken on a Star Pubs’ lease for The Plough in Elstree, Hertfordshire, Alfred Hitchcock’s favourite pub.  It is their third site with Star Pubs and brings their estate to eight.

The family started a £1m six-month refurbishment of The Plough this week with financial backing from Star Pubs.  Elstree’s only pub, The Plough had been closed for nine years.

Previously it operated as an Italian restaurant called Kiss Kiss, and before that as a Chinese restaurant called East.   The refurbishment will see it revert to a pub and reinstate its original name.  30 new jobs will be created when The Plough reopens in the spring of 2026.

The project will enlarge The Plough’s interior by 25% creating a bar area with casual seating; a former stable with seating for 25, which will be available for private dining; and a restaurant seating 35 overlooking the garden.

The exterior is being completely overhauled with seating for 400.  A large outdoor deck is being built with four six-seater pods.  There will also be an outside bar and loos, a large fenced-off children’s play area, cinema and additional carpark with two electric car chargers.

Food will be served from breakfast, through lunch to dinner, and drinks will include a full range of beers, wines, spirits, soft drinks, teas and speciality coffees.

Steve Haslam says: “We’re looking forward to giving the Elstree community a pub once again.  However, if it wasn’t for Heineken / Star Pubs’ support we wouldn’t be doing this project.  They have made it possible for us to revive The Plough.  It’s almost impossible to do something like this solo in today’s market.

“This is our first foray towards London.  We still have ambitions to grow our estate further but our plans will be dependent on how the Government treats hospitality and that means being serious about the tax burden, lowering VAT like they have in Ireland, and replacing outdated business rates.  We would like to look at further pubs, creating more jobs and supporting local communities but until the Government makes moves to support the industry, we’re unlikely to expand further.”

Nick Paul, Star Pubs Investment Manager says:
“The Plough is in a fantastic location, near open parks, the train station, the local business park and Borehamwood town centre and so will be a welcome addition.  The Haslam family lease a number of pubs from us in East Anglia and extensive experience of turning around pubs and creating wonderful environments for people to socialise in.  I have no doubt they will do so again with The Plough and that it will be transformational for The Elstree community.”