Greenwich-born Meantime Brewing Company is inviting Londoners to hit pause on the city’s relentless grind with its new London Bunk Holiday — a campaign designed to help overworked professionals take back their time and enjoy a free pint across the capital.
According to new research by Meantime, the average London worker clocks over 100 extra hours a year compared to the rest of the UK — that’s an additional 11 days spent on the job. With nearly three-quarters (73%) of Londoners working outside their contracted hours, the brewery is giving something back: a little “meantime” to enjoy life again.
Free pints every Thursday across London
Every Thursday until 30th October, Meantime will offer free pints between 3pm and 5pm at participating pubs for anyone signed up to the London Bunk Holiday. Once registered, participants receive a cheeky “meeting invite” to their inbox — but this time, it’s not another “sync” or “catch-up.” It’s a call to bunk off responsibly.
Sign up for the London Bunk Holiday here to secure your spot and enjoy a pint on the house.
Work less, live in the Meantime
The first Bunk Holiday kicked off earlier this month, with Londoners showing up in “business on top, bunk on the bottom” outfits — pairing blazers with beach shorts and flip-flops. The tongue-in-cheek event was fronted by comedian Jake Lambert, who rallied workers on social media to ditch the grind and take a well-earned break.
“Londoners aren’t just burning the candle at both ends, we’ve melted through the desk it was sitting on,” joked Lambert. “The London Bunk Holiday is about reclaiming that sacred time. It’s not slacking off — it’s strategic downtime.”
Richard Witty, Brand Director at Meantime Brewing Company, added:
“We were born in Greenwich — the Home of Time — so we know how precious it is. Londoners work harder and longer than most, and we want to give some of that time back.”
A pint of perspective
The study also found that less than half (43%) of UK workers take their full annual leave, with younger workers aged 16–24 being the least likely to use all their holiday entitlement (just 33%). And while Londoners lead the pack in productivity, they’re also more likely to skip lunch (76%) or work during their commute (37%).
Meantime hopes its London Bunk Holiday will serve as a reminder to slow down — even if just for one pint.
The campaign will culminate in a special event on 7th November to celebrate the launch of The Dial: Home of Meantime, the brewery’s new flagship brewpub in Greenwich. Everyone who signs up to the October Bunk Holiday events will receive an exclusive invite.
So if your Thursday calendar is packed with “back-to-backs,” maybe it’s time to reschedule one of them — for a beer.
