New research from HEINEKEN SmartDispense®* reveals a tale of two truths: Brits are besotted with their locals – but most have no clue what goes on behind the scenes.
The insight comes ahead of a new vodcast series launched by HEINEKEN SmartDispense®, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the realities of running a pub today.
Fronted by publican and former model Jodie Kidd and landlord and Channel 4’s First Dates barman, Merlin Griffiths, Three Landlords Walk into a Bar, aims to lift the lid on what really happens behind the scenes of a pub.
As well as confirming that, while people still feel pubs are vital with 98% of people seeing the pub as the heart of their communities but that 59% of them have no idea how to run one, the survey found:
• Three-quarters (75%) of Brits class their local publican as a mate
• Over a quarter (26%) admit they’ve told their local landlord something they wouldn’t even share with their own friends or family.
In order to help Brits understand more of what goes into running a pub – from pulling pints to cleaning the kitchen – each episode of the new vodcast series, sees Kidd and Griffiths sit down with landlords from some of the UK’s most iconic pubs and bars. They explore the real stories, graft, and innovations that keep venues thriving.
With drink quality now a top priority for 62% of pubgoers, the series also shows how HEINEKEN SmartDispense® is helping operators pour the perfect pint every time.
The first episode, available now on Apple, Spotify, YouTube and https://smartdispense.heineken.co.uk**, features Beccy Webster, landlord of The Gedling Inn, who shares how an off-the-cuff promotion tied to Nottingham Forest’s scoring record led to an unexpected giveaway of over 300-pints.
Further episodes will spotlight operators including:
• The team behind Liverpool’s world famous Cavern Club and Pub,
• The landlord of The White Lion in Stockport — one of Britain’s oldest, most haunted pubs
• The founder of The Prince of Peckham, one of London’s most inclusive community hubs.
• The brains behind the tech revolution happening behind the bar of Scotland’s Atlas Hotels
Richard Stephens, Head of Technical Services at HEINEKEN SmartDispense®, commented:
“Here in the UK we love the Great British pub and this pioneering vodcast series shines a light on the tireless hard work our operators put in every day to keep the lights on and their customers happy. Our latest SmartDispense® insight shows that the quality of drinks is more important than ever, and we want to showcase how we can help publicans to achieve this – every day and for every pint.”
Jodie Kidd, publican of 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 Griffiths, landlord of the Dog & Gun in Leicestershire says,
‘’Being a landlord isn’t just about pulling pints and hosting quizzes – it’s late nights, leaky pipes, and learning to adapt fast. Amidst turbulent times for the industry, we wanted to sit down and explore how Britain’s pubs are evolving to stay at the heart of their communities – whether that’s finding new ways to get people in the door or embracing game-changing tech like SmartDispense® to serve up top-quality pints more efficiently and sustainably.”
Three Landlords Walk into a Bar is available now across Apple, Spotify, YouTube and https://smartdispense.heineken.co.uk, with new episodes released fortnightly.