The Pub Industry in Drammen: Current Situation and Future Outlook

The pub industry in Drammen has shown both strengths and challenges in recent years. With 3 registered companies and a total of 28 employees, the industry is relatively small, but with a high degree of variation in economic results. The most stable company is Old Irish Pub Norway As, which reports high sales figures and positive EBITDA. At the same time, other companies, such as Blestølen Pub Og Cafe As, show weak or negative economic results. The industry has experienced an increase in the number of employees from 2019 to 2021, but has since experienced a decline, which may indicate challenges related to operational economics and customer demand.

Economic data shows that sales for the pub industry in Drammen have varied significantly in recent years. Sales reached a maximum of NOK 15.4 million in 2024, but fell to NOK 11.8 million in 2025, representing a decline of 23.2%. The number of employees has also shown variation, with a peak of 42 employees in 2021 and a decline to 24 employees in 2026. This indicates that the industry has been affected by both economic and operational factors, including crises and changes in customer demand.

The following companies are registered in the pub industry in Drammen:

1. Old Irish Pub Norway As Avd Drammen (Amtmand Bloms gate 2) – AS-form, 28 employees, sales of NOK 18.8 million, EBITDA of NOK 1.1 million.
2. Blestølen Pub Og Cafe As (Myrehagen 33) – AS-form, 0 employees, sales of NOK 0, EBITDA of NOK 11,000.
3. Marienlyst Pub As (Konnerudgata 10) – AS-form, 0 employees, sales of NOK 0, EBITDA of NOK 0.

The organizational forms are dominated by AS, with one company in this category. There are no bankrupt registered companies in the industry, but some have weak economic results.

Pub activity in Drammen is concentrated in one part of the municipality, as indicated by the data. Although one company is registered in this category, the details show that the activity is spread across different addresses in Drammen. This may indicate that the industry has a geographical variation, even though the number of companies is limited.

The industry has been relatively stable in terms of bankruptcy, with no registered bankruptcies among the 3 companies. However, some companies show weak economic results, such as Blestølen Pub Og Cafe As, which has zero sales and an EBITDA of NOK 11,000. This may indicate challenges related to operational economics, customer demand, or competition in the sector.

For entrepreneurs considering starting a pub in Drammen, it is important to take into account the recent decline in sales and number of employees. At the same time, Old Irish Pub Norway As shows that it is possible to achieve stable economic results with the right operational strategy. It is also important to analyze the competition and customer demand in the area, as well as to assess operational costs and potential market segments.

Compared to the broader bar/club sector in Drammen, which has 28 companies, the pub industry is relatively small. The broader sector has higher sales (NOK 61.7 million in 2025) and more employees (251 in 2026). Examples of competitors in this sector include Lauritz Drammen As (sales NOK 15.8 million, EBITDA NOK 4.1 million) and Kings Arms Drammen As (sales NOK 13.8 million, EBITDA NOK 2.0 million). This shows that the pub industry has a smaller market share and lower economic results compared to the broader sector.

The pub industry in Drammen has both opportunities and challenges. With a relatively small market share and variation in economic results, it is important for entrepreneurs to carefully analyze the competition and operational economics. At the same time, it shows that it is possible to achieve stable results with the right strategy, as demonstrated by Old Irish Pub Norway As. It is also important to consider how the industry can adapt to local trends and customer demand.