Greene King To Train Pub Teams In British Sign Language

Select team members at 16 Greene King Sport pubs across Merseyside are to receive training in key elements of British Sign Language (BSL).

To help ease the barriers to the isolation felt by deaf and hard of hearing pub-goers, Carlsberg and Greene King are patrnering with the British Deaf Association (BDA) to teach select Greene King pub team members key phrases related to customer service and ordering.

This simple intervention is designed to make the ordering process smoother and more welcoming, allowing those with hearing loss or who are hard of hearing to feel genuinely part of things.

Beginning with a pilot location in Anfield and within Anfield stadium, the training then extended to Greene King Sport pub, the Endbutt, before being rolled out to 15 further Greene King Sport pubs across Merseyside before the end of the 2025/26 football season.

The wider accessibility offer sees the Danish brewer also partner with Liverpool FC to ensure the electric atmosphere is accessible to every supporter, by:

• Training staff in all bars across Anfield stadium to be able to offer the same level of BSL service
• Offering BSL “Fan Interpreters” at both men’s and women’s home games to interpret commentary ahead of the game and “You’ll Never Walk Alone” live to those in attendance

This training scheme is part of a broader commitment by Carlsberg. Launched with an incredible BSL-signed version of the line in the atmospheric anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone” at Anfield before the recent home match against West Ham, the initiative aims to give deaf and hard of hearing football fans access to more of the best experiences.

Lynsey Woods, Global Brand Director at Carlsberg, said: “At Carlsberg, we believe every fan deserves to be part of football’s greatest moments and have access to the very best the game has to offer. This means ensuring everyone experiences that incredible sense of belonging across every aspect of the pub and matchday environment. With so many fans belonging to the deaf or hard-of-hearing community, we view it as a necessity not a luxury for them to be fully included in the magic of matchday.

“By partnering with Greene King Sport to provide BSL training and working with LFC to bring ‘Fan Interpreters’ to Anfield and St. Helen’s, we are dismantling communication barriers and making a long-term commitment to a more inclusive, accessible hospitality experience for everyone. You could say, if Carlsberg did football anthems, this would be the best.”

Zoe Bowley, Managing Director at Greene King pubs added: “This is a powerful initiative by Carlsberg that we’re proud to support, which builds on our Customer Promise to ensure that everyone feels safe and welcome in our pubs. Our pubs are spaces where everyone should feel they belong, and this BSL training is a vital step in ensuring every customer feels welcomed and understood at the bar. We are excited to have begun this trial at the Endbutt in Merseyside and to make a tangible difference to people’s experience when they visit the pub.”