There was something of a national frenzy when pubs partially reopened on April 12th. But what exactly is it about these cozy wood-panelled institutions that inspires an almost fanatical level of devotion? To answer this question, we’ve ordered up three rounds of refreshing audio beverages to quench the minds of even the most parched listeners, including a potted history of pubs, discussions on organising bar staff, and a pub crawl to remember across time and space. 

TWT FM is a podcast from The World Transformed. This episode was produced by Matt Huxley, Sarah Vowden, Aron Keller, James Roadnight, Tom Williams and Charlie Clarke with contributions from Callum Cant, George Brierly, and Liz from the South London Bar Tenders Network.