As beer gardens brim and the season of sun-soaked pints begins, 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.
A huge 98% of Brits see the pub as more than just a place to drink – it’s a cornerstone of community where friendships spark, stories are shared, troubles are halved, and memories are made. In fact, almost half (48%) have celebrated a milestone in a pub, from birthdays to new jobs, while over a third (35%) have been on a first date there, and a quarter (26%) have even met their partner across the bar.
It’s not just the setting Brits cherish – it’s the people behind the bar who bring it to life. Landlords aren’t just pulling pints – they’re part confidant, part community glue, and often the UK’s unofficial agony aunts. Three quarters (75%) of Brits would class their local landlord as a mate, while a candid quarter (26%) admit they’ve told them something they wouldn’t even share with their own friends or family.
But despite the nation’s love affair with landlords and pubs, 59% of Brits admit they don’t fully understand what it takes to run one – from managing staff to changing kegs to deliver them that crisp, perfect pint.
To reveal the hard work and stories seen from behind the bar, HEINEKEN SmartDispense has teamed up with former model-turned-publican Jodie Kidd and TV barman and landlord Merlin Griffiths to launch a brand-new vodcast: Three Landlords Walk into a Bar. The series sees the duo pull up a chair with legendary landlords and hospitality titans from some of the UK’s most iconic pubs and bars, to spill the stories, secrets, and sheer graft behind running a great British pub.
It’s a front-row seat to the action behind the bar, revealing the highs, the chaos, and the characters that make our pubs the beating heart of the community – from outrageous customer confessions and emotional moments to surprise celebrity drop-ins.
But it’s also about the future of our pubs. With 62% of Brits saying drink quality is a top priority when picking a pub, the series spotlights the innovative ways publicans are levelling up, using innovative technology from SmartDispense to deliver punters perfect pints every time – while helping them reduce their costs, waste and impact on the environment.
Episode one is out now on Apple, Spotify, YouTube and https://smartdispense.heineken.co.uk/link/sdnqrb, featuring Beccy Webster, landlord of The Gedling Inn – who tells the tale of how her spur-of-the-moment promise to give away a free pint every time Nottingham Forest scored turned into a 300-pint giveaway after a 7–0 win.
New episodes will be released every two weeks, featuring an iconic line-up – from the man behind The The White Lion in Stockport, one of the UK’s oldest and most haunted pubs and the man soundtracking Liverpool’s iconic Cavern Club and Pub, to the entrepreneurial landlord behind The Prince of Peckham – one of London’s most inclusive, community-first pubs, and the operations manager revolutionising the bar experience across more than 60 Atlas Hotels.
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.”
Want the inside scoop on your local? Tune in now for the full pint-sized story with Three Landlords Walk into a Bar. Listen on Apple, Spotify or watch on YouTube and https://smartdispense.heineken.co.uk/link/sdnqrb
