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Industry · municipality

The Pub Industry in Horten: Current Situation and Future Outlook

Published 26.09.2026

An analysis of companies, statistics, and opportunities for entrepreneurs and local decision-makers in Horten, Vestfold, and Telemark.

Executive Summary

The pub industry in Horten is a small but dynamic sector with a single registered company: Cafe Con Bar As. Although the industry showed a sales increase from 2019 to 2020 (+29.2%), the number of employees in the sector decreased from 2020 to 2021 (-25.0%). The broader bar / club category in Horten has a more stable development, with a sales increase from 2022 to 2023 (+11.7%) and an increase in the number of employees from 2022 to 2023 (+52.8%). This shows that the pub industry may have potential, but it is important to analyze broader market conditions and competitors in the bar / club sector before making decisions to start a new business.

Economic Overview

In Horten, the pub industry showed a weak sales increase from 2019 to 2020, from NOK 1.3 million to NOK 1.6 million (+29.2%). This is the first time in the period 2016–2020 that sales have been over NOK 0. However, the number of employees in the sector decreased from 4 employees in 2020 to 3 employees in 2021 (-25.0%). This may indicate that there have been challenges in maintaining staff in the sector after 2020.

Sales have been NOK 0 in all years from 2016 to 2018, showing that the pub industry in Horten has been in a period of low activity before 2019. It is important to note that these figures do not include any businesses that are not registered on public websites.

Sales over time — pub — Horten
Sales over time — pub
Number of companies — pub — Horten
Number of companies — pub
Employees over time — pub — Horten
Employees over time — pub

Companies in the Industry

There is 1 company registered in the pub industry in Horten: Cafe Con Bar As. This company is registered at Kommandørkaptein Klincks vei 5, 3183 Horten and has the following organizational details:

  • Organizational Form: AS
  • Incorporation Date: 2025-06-15
  • Number of Employees: 0
  • Sales: NOK 0
  • EBITDA: NOK 0
  • Bankrupt: Not bankrupt

It is worth noting that this company has 0 employees and 0 sales in all reported years. This may indicate that the company is in an early stage or has been in a period of low activity. It is also worth investigating whether there are other businesses in the sector that are not registered on public websites.

Business Geography

The pub industry in Horten is concentrated in Horten itself, with Cafe Con Bar As as the only registered business. There is no information about other businesses in the sector in other districts or municipalities. This may indicate that the pub industry in Horten is relatively small and concentrated in certain areas. It is worth investigating whether there is potential to expand the sector to other districts or municipalities in Vestfold and Telemark.

Business Dynamism

In the pub industry in Horten, there have been no registered bankruptcies in the period 2016–2021. This shows that the sector has been relatively stable in this period. However, there have been challenges in maintaining staff, as shown by the annual figures for the number of employees.

In the broader bar / club category in Horten, there have been several companies that have gone bankrupt or had negative EBITDA. This may indicate that the sector has been more dynamic and challenging in this period. It is worth investigating how these companies have handled the challenges and what they have learned from it.

Outlook

For entrepreneurs considering starting a new business in the pub industry in Horten, it is important to take into account current market conditions. Although the industry showed an increase in sales from 2019 to 2020, the number of employees decreased during the same period. This may indicate that there have been challenges in maintaining staff in the sector.

It is also worth investigating the broader market conditions in the bar / club sector, which has a more stable development. This can give entrepreneurs a better understanding of how they can compete and differentiate themselves in the sector. It is also worth investigating whether there is potential to expand the sector to other districts or municipalities in Vestfold and Telemark.

Outlook for the Bar / Club Sector

The broader bar / club category in Horten has a more stable development than the pub industry. Sales have increased from NOK 5.5 million in 2021 to NOK 10.4 million in 2023 (+89.1%), and the number of employees has increased from 27 employees in 2021 to 55 employees in 2023 (+103.7%). This shows that the sector has been more dynamic and had a better development than the pub industry.

However, there have been challenges in the sector, as shown by the annual EBITDA figures. For example, Pianobaren As had an EBITDA of NOK -97.0K in 2021, and Bygg 121 As had an EBITDA of NOK -37.0K in 2020. This may indicate that there have been challenges in maintaining profitability in the sector. It is worth investigating how these companies have handled the challenges and what they have learned from it.

Sales in the parent industry — bar / klubb — Horten
Sales in the parent industry — bar / klubb
Companies in the parent industry — bar / klubb — Horten
Companies in the parent industry — bar / klubb
Employees in the parent industry — bar / klubb — Horten
Employees in the parent industry — bar / klubb

Other companies in bar / klubb (not in pub)

CompanyIndustryAddressSalesEmployeesEBITDA
Kroa Vår AsbarSkippergata 20A, 3187 HortenNOK 4.1M13NOK 899.0K
Al Meri Naustet AsbarStangs gate 2A, 3179 ÅsgårdstrandNOK 00NOK 0
Horten Børs AsbarFalsens gate 11, 3187 HortenNOK 014NOK 0
Jmc Virksomhet AsbarStorgata 29, 3182 HortenNOK 00NOK 0
Bygg 121 AsbarKommandørkaptein Klincks vei 1, 3183 HortenNOK 4.6M33NOK -37.0K
Pianobaren AsbarStorgata 25, 3181 HortenNOK 2.1M3NOK -97.0K

Conclusion

The pub industry in Horten is a small but dynamic sector with potential for growth. Although the industry showed an increase in sales from 2019 to 2020, the number of employees decreased during the same period. It is also worth investigating the broader market conditions in the bar / club sector, which has a more stable development.

For entrepreneurs considering starting a new business in the sector, it is important to take into account current market conditions and competitors. It is also worth investigating whether there is potential to expand the sector to other districts or municipalities in Vestfold and Telemark. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable addresses and develop strategies to compete in the sector.