Most pubgoers say landlord is a 'real pal' - and some spill secrets they wouldn't share with family
A survey from Heineken and a new podcast called Three Landlords Walk into a Bar, hosted by celebrity landlords Jodie Kidd and Merlin Griffiths, found that 75 per cent of Brits believe their landlord is a genuine pal
They pour perfect pints, lend a sympathetic ear and occasionally act as secret matchmakers. So it's no surprise that 75% of Brits consider their local landlord to be a genuine mate, with a quarter sharing secrets they wouldn't tell their own family.
And at a time when so much social interaction takes place online, the pub is still a national treasure with 98% viewing it as the cornerstone of their community, according to new research. The survey, by HEINEKEN SmartDispense, reveals 26% of people met their partner in a pub, 35% have gone to one on a first date and 48% have used their favourite for a celebration - from birthdays to new jobs.
But while Brits clearly love their locals, 59% admit they've no clue what it actually takes to run one.
To lift the lid on life behind the bar, celebrity landlords Jodie Kidd and Merlin Griffiths have teamed up with HEINEKEN SmartDispense for a new podcast Three Landlords Walk into a Bar.
Joined by some of the UK's top publicans, the duo will dig into the graft, grit, and untold stories that make Britain's boozers tick.
Jodie, who runs The Half Moon in Kirdford, Sussex says, 'People are always surprised when they find out I run a pub. It's one of the toughest yet most rewarding jobs.
'There's a whole world behind the bar that most punters never get to see – the highs, the graft, the sheer heart landlords pour in.
'That's exactly what we wanted to showcase with Three Landlords Walk into a Bar - real people, real stories, and why these places matter so much to our communities.'
Merlin, the landlord of the Dog & Gun in Leicestershire adds, ''Being a landlord isn't just about pulling pints and hosting quizzes - it's late nights, leaky pipes, and learning to adapt fast.'
Their first guest is Beccy Webster, landlord of The Gedling Inn, whose promise to give away free drinks every time Nottingham Forest scored turned into a 300-pint giveaway after a 7–0 win.
Other guests include the landlord behind The White Lion in Stockport, one of the UK's oldest and most haunted pubs, and the man who gives Liverpool's legendary Cavern Club its sound.
Jodie and Merlin will also chat to the entrepreneur who runs The Prince of Peckham, one of London's most inclusive, community-first pubs.
The series will also spotlight the innovative ways landlords are fighting back, turning pubs into social hubs to make friends, celebrate milestones, and even find love for years to come.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Guardian
10 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Brits most likely to say ‘yes' to new opportunities at 27
A poll of 2,000 adults found 69 per cent admit they 'play it safe' in life, with 39 per cent determined to say 'yes' more often. And the average adult typically turns something down as often as twice a week. It also emerged just 26 per cent of over 35s feel they are more likely to say yes to opportunities now, than they did 20 years ago. Of those who felt the opposite, being settled into a routine (41 per cent) was considered the biggest barrier, while others blamed life being more complicated now (35 per cent), being too tired (33 per cent) and wanting to plan things in advance (33 per cent). And 59 per cent hope to be less 'afraid' of taking on new challenges in the future. One day I'll travel round the world and use a decade of my life to document it, Being in one country for so long makes me yearn for the greatness of what is to come The study was commissioned by Halfords, which is partnering with 'Yes Man', Danny Wallace, to highlight the positive benefits of being open to new experiences this summer. Danny Wallace said: "Twenty years ago I decided to say 'yes' to whatever came my way… and it led to the best adventures. 'I went places I would never have gone and I met people I'd never have met. I tried new things and made new memories. So, when Halfords asked me to celebrate twenty years by hopping in a car and trying more new stuff, it would have been weird to say no. 'Even though when they asked me if I'd like 'to go sea kayaking', I thought they meant they were just going to take me to 'see kayaking', which would have been a lot easier. 'That said, saying yes more is something we should all try and build into our days. Yes to something different or new. I wholeheartedly support you doing the same this summer.' The study also revealed the top things Brits would like to try for the first time, with mastering a foreign language topping the list (21 per cent). Others would like to skydive or learn a musical instrument (both 15 per cent) or even move abroad (14 per cent). Go to more gigs and concerts (13 per cent), get a tattoo (13 per cent) and run a marathon (12 per cent) also featured in the top 20 list. Commissioned via OnePoll, it also found 27 per cent have been told by others that they should say yes more often. But 62 per cent reckon they'd be much more inclined to try something new if they were able to prepare for it in advance. TOP 20 THINGS BRITS WOULD LIKE TO SAY YES TO FOR THE FIRST TIME: 1. Master a foreign language 2. Skydive 3. Learn a musical instrument 4. Move abroad 5. Move to the countryside 6. Go to more gigs and concerts 7. Retire 8. Get a tattoo 9. Go down a zip wire 10. Run a marathon 11. Learn how to dance 12. Climb a mountain 13. Try surfing 14. Travel solo 15. Start a new career 16. Sea kayaking 17. Go on a roadtrip 18. Take up yoga 19. Move to a different city 20. Paint or draw Recommended reading: Paul Ray, from Halfords, which is encouraging people to give their car a 'Free 5 Point Summer Check' to ensure it's ready for adventure, said: 'While Brits might get set in their ways, 62 per cent feel they would be more likely to say YES if they felt ready for anything, especially when the sun's out and the kids are off school. 'Saying 'yes' more often can open doors you didn't even know existed. "Whether it's trying something new, meeting someone unexpected, or stepping slightly out of your comfort zone, those small yeses can add up to big life shifts. 'Don't let worrying about the car be the reason you say 'no' to a last-minute trip to the beach or a spontaneous camping weekend.'
Scottish Sun
31 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Major bar chain to shut ALL 250 venues across the UK for 24 hours next week in unusual business move
Customers have praised the business for its unusual decision LAST CALL Major bar chain to shut ALL 250 venues across the UK for 24 hours next week in unusual business move Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A CHAIN of popular cafe bars will close for 24-hours next week. The closure will affect more than 250 branches countrywide on Monday June 9. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 There are over 250 Lounge bars across England and Wales Credit: instagram 4 The chain will close countrywide on Monday June 9 Credit: instagram Loungers opened their first store in 2002 in Bristol and have since expanded across the country. They are known for their wide range of food, cocktails and coffees, as well as each lounge having its own unique decor - with some customers not realising it's even a chain. The closure is so that it's staff can enjoy a grand celebration, which they call LoungeFest. Beginning in 2013, the event celebrates the company's 9,000 staff. In an announcement on Facebook, the company wrote: "Attention Loungers! "All of our Lounges will be closed on Monday, 9th June, as we will be heading to our annual staff party - Loungefest! "We do this every year to celebrate everybody's hard work. "Regular Lounging will resume on Tuesday, 10th June." Photos of the event show an exciting mix of music, fairground rides, and a healthy dose of partying. Guy Youll, Loungers' Chief People Officer told Wales Online: "Back in 2013, Loungers was one of the first in the hospitality industry to host a party like this and I'm delighted we've kept close to our roots by continuing every year getting bigger and better. Most popular treats for Brits on holiday "Our teams work incredibly hard all year round so LoungeFest is our way of celebrating them and showing how much we appreciate the dedication and care they put in every day at all our sites to deliver great hospitality. It's going to be quite a party!" Facebook commenters were pleased to see the company showing appreciation for their staff. One wrote: "Well done for treating your staff I hope the staff and you have a brilliant time." While another commented: "Oh that's a lovely thing to do for all the hard working staff." This year's LoungeFest will take place at Ragley Hall in Warwickshire. Its theme is 'at the movies' as the event will be equipped with funfair attractions, DJ sessions, music stages featuring live bands and performances by Loungers' employees - as well as games, activities and complimentary food and drink. 4 Each cafe-bar has a unique interior Credit: instagram 4 They serve a wide range of food, cocktails and coffees Credit: instagram Loungers was founded in 2002 by a group of three friends on North Street in Bristol. They also run the popular Cosy Club chain of restaurants, as well as the roadside eatery Brightside. As of March 2025, the company operates 291 sites in England and Wales across the three brands. Its 250th Lounge - Pionero Lounge - opened in Rochdale in January 2024. With plans to expand with 10 more restaurants, loyal customers have been begging the company to come to their town. The company won the employer of the year award at the Casual Dining Awards 2025.
.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1200%26auto%3Dwebp%26quality%3D75&w=3840&q=100)
Scotsman
31 minutes ago
- Scotsman
We asked people in the UK what they'd do with an extra £100. Some people said they would put the £100 towards a holiday, while others said they'd spend the money on food or eating out. A lot of people
This video More videos Watch as the public answers what they'd do with an extra £100. Keep up with the latest new videos with the Shots! Newsletter. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Household bills have risen by £36bn collectively since March, with UK households paying over £100 more a month on average. We spoke to an expert on what the public can do to cut their bills, with three key potential cost-cutting areas being broadband, mobile and energy. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad How can I cut my household bills? Sabrina Hoque, telecoms expert, said: 'It really has been an awful April. So most of us in the UK would have been impacted by the rising cost of bills. Now that's across water, energy, broadband, mobile, council tax, we would have all seen our bills getting more and more expensive. 'It is costing us individually over £100 extra a month, but collectively in the UK that adds up to £36 billion so it is a lot of money. 'Not only is this impacting customers financially, but it is also affecting them emotionally as well, with 12% of Brits are now not able to save at all. Council tax, water for now there's not much we can do, but broadband, mobile and energy is where customers could really help themselves and see some very significant savings. 'It used to be the case that loyalty would pay but unfortunately that's not the case anymore. So for those customers that have been with their provider for four to six years, it's likely that they're out of contract so those are the customers that could save the most. There are some really incredible introductory rates that we see, so if a customer did switch away to a new provider they're likely to make the biggest savings. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'So for those out of contract now's a great time to switch, there's no exit fee, make a lot of savings. If you're in contract, always call your provider up first to see if they can help you out, if you are really concerned about paying bills. It may be as practical as something like removing a particular service so if you took broadband out a few years ago and you've added TV to it, it might be you might not need the TV element of it, so see if your provider can actually take that element off, but the key thing is call your provider up, see if they can actually help you with your bills.' What would you do with a spare £100? We asked people in the UK what they'd do with an extra £100. Some people said they would put the £100 towards a holiday, while others said they'd spend the money on food or eating out. A lot of people said they'd use their £100 for their household bills. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad One man said he'd put the £100 towards paying his car insurance, while someone else said they'd use it to buy books or records. Some people also said they'd give the money to charity.
