Hannah Sharman-Cox and Siobhán Payne are the co-founders of London Cocktail Week and the Pinnacle Guide. Having launched London Cocktail Week 16 years ago, they have built one of the drinks industry's most recognised consumer-facing events, taking it through multiple ownership structures - from its origins under Simon Difford, through the Whisky Exchange and Pernod Ricard — before buying it back outright in January 2026. Together with business partner Dan Dove, they also created the Pinnacle Guide, a Michelin-inspired rating system that awards one, two, or three pins to bars across 14 countries and counting.In this conversation, Hannah and Siobhán talk about the decision to move London Cocktail Week from October to March, how the event has evolved from its early days of London buses and pop-up bars in Seven Dials to a more purpose-driven celebration of bartenders and bar culture. They go deep on the Pinnacle Guide — its two-year consultation process, the extensive application form, how bars are assessed and reviewed, and the deliberate "skew of kindness" built into the system. They also reveal Curate Your City, a new venture that will offer a turnkey framework for anyone to create their own multi-venue festival in any industry, anywhere in the world. Plus, some quick questions from Jake Burger at the end on the golden age of UK bartending.https://londoncocktailweek.com/https://www.thepinnacleguide.com/Get 15% off the world's best drinking vessels at Denver & Liely using the discount code CURIOUS15 at checkout Get 15% off my favourite coffee liqueur at Algebradrinks.com with code CURIOUS15📷 Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tristanstephenson/📚 I've written quite a few books on spirits and cocktails - https://www.thecuriousbartender.com/00:00:00 Introduction00:02:12 London Cocktail Week: 16 Years and Counting00:03:09 Taking Back Full Ownership00:04:12 Moving LCW from October to March00:08:04 How London Cocktail Week Has Changed00:10:31 The Cocktail Village Era00:14:38 Wristbands, Guidebooks and Building Community00:17:01 The Evolution of London's Cocktail Scene00:21:21 The Ownership Journey: Difford, Whisky Exchange and Pernod Ricard00:24:43 Burnout, the Pandemic and Pivoting00:27:36 What's Next for LCW in 202700:33:14 Introducing the Pinnacle Guide00:38:50 The Scoring System and "Skew of Kindness"00:43:21 Reviewers: Industry Pros and Interested Amateurs00:48:48 How the Application Form Elevates the Industry00:54:48 Global Expansion: 146 Bars Across 14 Countries00:57:36 How the Pinnacle Guide Will Make Money01:05:53 Curate Your City: A New Venture for Festival Creators01:14:52 The Hannah and Siobhán Partnership01:16:19 Is the Golden Age of UK Bartending Behind Us?

Agostino Perrone is the Director of Mixology at The Connaught Bar in London — one of the most acclaimed bar programmes in the world, and the only bar to have featured in the World's 50 Best Bars list every year since its inception, claiming the top spot in both 2020 and 2021. Originally from Lake Como in northern Italy, Ago moved to London in 2003 and worked his way through the city's bar scene — from Dusk in Battersea to the beloved neighbourhood bar Montgomery Place in Notting Hill — before being approached in 2008 to launch and lead the newly reimagined Connaught Bar. What followed is nothing short of a legacy: he has been recognised as Industry Icon at the World's 50 Best Bars 2022, Best International Bar Mentor at Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards 2023, and in 2024 saw the publication of The Connaught Bar book with Phaidon. He is also an accomplished fine art photographer, with exhibitions across Europe and beyond.On the episode we explore what it really means to build something that lasts. Ago takes us through the philosophy of Italian hospitality, how growing up in a culture of community, generosity, and warmth provides a natural foundation for world-class service, and why those soft skills translate seamlessly to the highest stages in the world. We discuss patience as a professional virtue in an industry increasingly driven by speed and visibility, and how the slow, organic accumulation of experience ultimately wins out over ambition alone. We get into the famous Connaught Martini Trolley — its origins, its evolution, and the clever way it turns flavour into a conversation about how a guest is actually feeling. We talk about the balance between creativity and innovation, the symbiotic relationship between a bartender and their bar, what it takes to build a team that endures, and how to stay mentally healthy when awards and recognition start reshaping your world. Ago also reflects on photography as meditation, legacy as mentorship, and what he would say to his younger self walking into the Connaught Bar for the very first time.Be sure to check out The Connaught Bar book, published by Phaidon, and follow Ago's photography work on Instagram @agodragos @a_perrone_photographyhttps://www.the-connaught.co.uk/bars/connaught-barGet 15% off the world's best drinking vessels at Denver & Liely using the discount code CURIOUS15 at checkout - https://denverandliely.comGet 15% off my favourite coffee liqueur at Algebradrinks.com with code CURIOUS15📷 Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tristanstephenson/📚 I've written quite a few books on spirits and cocktails - https://www.thecuriousbartender.com/00:00 Watering the Plants of Opportunity03:10 Paying Attention - Learning the Basics, 50,000 Hours06:10 The Vision of The Connaught, Changing Fashions08:40 Montgomery Place: Inspiration & Style12:00 Fundamentals of Hospitality & Italian Culture, Generosity, Patience22:10 The Relationship Between Bar & Bartender, Understanding Business Needs, Humility29:30 The Martini Trolley: Bitters, Menu Development in 2008, Theatre38:00 Creativity: Evolution of the Connaught, Innovation, Beauty in Bars, Theatre in Pouring & Ice49:05 The History of The Connaught Hotel & Connaught Bar50:37 A Home Away From Home55:50 Longevity, Consistency, Enjoyment, Sustainability, Approach to Awards1:10:02 Recruitment at The Connaught1:13:10 Visual Content at The Connaught1:18:40 What Brings You Joy? Photography as a Snapshot of Life, Exhibitions, Art, Meditation1:27:05 Advice To Your Younger Self

Tom Oliver is one of the UK’s most respected cider and perry makers, based in Herefordshire. A farmer first and foremost, he works with traditional orchards, rare varieties and long, slow fermentations to produce some of the most expressive cider and perry in the country. His approach is hands-on, low intervention, and deeply rooted in place.In this conversation we get into why perry is so difficult to make well. From awkward fruit that sinks instead of floats, to tannins that can return in bottle, to fermentations that refuse to behave. Tom explains why you can do everything “right” and still end up fighting nature. And why that struggle is exactly what gives great perry its depth.We get into the agricultural reality of managing orchards across the full calendar year, from winter pruning and wassailing through to blossom, pollination, frost risk and the impact of drought. Tom explains why perry pears demand extraordinary patience. Some can take up to twenty years before yielding properly, yet once established they may live and produce for centuries. That long view shapes everything.We also discuss fire blight and the very real threat it poses to traditional pear trees, along with the biannual nature of cropping, shifting climate patterns and the hard economics of growing fruit in Herefordshire. It is a precarious balance between agriculture, time and cashflow.On the production side, we explore wild fermentation and the idea of house character. Where does the yeast really come from. The fruit, the air, or the buildings themselves. We talk about why cider can ferment for months, sometimes right through winter, and how that slow, unmanaged process builds complexity you simply do not get in rapid fermentations.From there we move into keeving, residual sugar and bottle conditioning, and how sweetness, tannin and acidity can be structured with intent rather than correction. We debate blending versus single variety bottlings, and whether the romance of a named orchard fruit sometimes overshadows the craft and judgement of the blender.Finally, we look at premium cider as an alternative to wine. Not just in theory, but at the table. Can cider outperform wine with food. And if it can, why is it still fighting for that recognition.Along the way we taste a still, barrel-aged perry that would sit comfortably alongside white Burgundy, and debate whether apples suffer from over-familiarity. If they grow everywhere, do we take them for granted?https://oliversciderandperry.co.uk00:00 The Incredible Challenges of Making Perry, Perry as Route Into Premium Cider05:50 Cider & Perry as an Alternative to Beer & Wine, Respect09:30 Managing an Orchard: Traditional vs Bush, Tree & Fruit Development, Harvesting, Yield, Fire Blight32:30 A Year of Cider Making: Wassail, Pruning, Weather, Climate Change, Foxwell Apple, Fermentation & Yeast*, Blending53:40 Tasting Eskimo Eyes Still Perry - Barrel Ageing56:30 Keeving - Process, Purpose, Tannin & Sweetness & Alcohol1:08:40 Filtration. Pasteurisation & Bottling, Bottle Fermented Perry1:12:40 Cider Regions: Hereford & Somerset1:16:00 Single Variety Cider vs. Blends, Intention of the Cider Maker, Oliver’s Orchard Variites1:23:00 Origin Stories: Why Become a Cider & Perry Maker?1:26:00 The Search for Good Eau de Vie, Apple Pommeau, Royal Cider, Development of Cider Brandy📷 Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tristanstephenson/📚 I've written quite a few books on spirits and cocktails - https://www.thecuriousbartender.com/

The Temperley family oversee the Somerset Cider Brandy Company, which became the UK's first independent distillery in living memory when it commenced operations in 1987. Thus, for almost 40 years, the Temperley family have been committed to reviving and preserving England’s traditional apple spirits. They have planted and maintained orchards with over 100 apple varieties, and earned a coveted Protected Geographical Indication for their cider brandy. Matilda handles day‑to‑day operations and looks to the future, while her father Julian draws on decades of craft knowledge and a passion for Somerset’s agricultural heritage.

In this wide‑ranging conversation, we trace the fascinating history of cider brandy in England: how clandestine stills and museum licences paved the way for the Temperleys to become the country’s first licensed craft distillers. We explore the family’s deep connection to their land: planting pear and oak trees for generations yet to come, fostering a "if we don't grow it we don't use it" policy, and championing the unique character of Somerset’s smallholdings. Matilda and Julian explain the strict rules they set to mirror Calvados production, their use of Coffey stills to retain fruit character, and the impact of different casks, from sherry and port to locally coopered Somerset oak.

Along the way we taste through their range, from perfumed eau‑de‑vie to five and ten‑year cider brandys, and the dessert‑style Pomona. We also discuss the romance and pragmatism of running a family farm, and hear how collaborations with whisky makers like Glenfiddich showcase the versatility of cider‑brandy casks. The episode concludes with reflections on the meaning of “craft,” the challenges of taxation and regulation, and what the future holds for Somerset’s apple‑spirit tradition.

00:00 Why Make Cider Brandy? Cider, Heritage, Pride

07:30 Where Does Cider Brandy Fit Into the Cider World

09:15 Origins of Somerset Cider Brandy: Local Tradition, French Tradition

14:22 Licensing a Cider Brandy Distillery in the 1980s - Bertrand Bulmer, Precedent, Customs, Museum Licenses, Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), Changing Regulation

21:20 The Importance of Being a Family Business: Building for Future Generations, Planting Pear Trees

25:00 Tasting Apple Eau de Vie, Apple Varieties & Styles

29:10 Comparing Somerset Cider Brandy to Calvados

31:20 Distillation at Somerset Cider Brandy, Continuous Distillation

36:11 Tasting 10 Year Old Somerset Cider Brandy, Cask Management, Somerset Barrels

47:50 Tasting Alchemy, PX Casks, Evaporative Losses and Bottling Strength

53:00 Tasting 20 Year Old Cider Brandy, Partnering with Glenfiddich

58:00 Tasting Pomona & Kingston Black Aperitif

1:02:15 Why Aren’t There More Cider Brandy Distillers? Pride in Somerset, Politics

1:08:45 Somerset vs Herefordshire, Loss of Orchards

1:12:15 The South West of England Cidermakers’ Association

1:14:00 Can Cider Brandy Become a Bigger Category? Applejack

1:23:45 Glastonbury Festival

1:27:35 Tasting Quince Liqueur, Growing Fruit

1:32:10 The Craft Distillery Movement, Business & Passion, Marketing, 101M Views on Instagram

1:45:45 The Prospect of 30 Year Old Cider brandy*, Apple Blossom, Seasons

1:51:28 New Product Development

1:54:45 Comparing 15 Year Old to 20 Year Old

1:59:00 Tasting 2 Year Old Cider Brandy Aged in Somerset Oak

2:03:15 Balancing Romance & Business

https://somersetciderbrandy.com/📷 Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tristanstephenson/📚 I've written quite a few books on spirits and cocktails - https://www.thecuriousbartender.com/

Henry Jeffreys is a drinks writer and historian. On this episode we talk about how deeply the British Empire shaped the way the world drinks. We start with a simple counterfactual: If the British Empire had never existed, which drinks would look completely different today, or perhaps not exist at all.

Henry reflects on his book Empire of Booze, now nearly ten years old, and why the book has had such a long, slow life. From there, the conversation widens into a broad look at how British tastes, trade networks, and commercial priorities influenced everything from port and Madeira to Marsala, Bordeaux, cognac, rum, and Scotch whisky. Not just where these drinks were sold, but how they were made, fortified, blended, and priced.

We talk about early booze marketing, the rise of Bordeaux as a prestige wine deliberately aimed at London, and the way fortified wines evolved as much in response to consumer demand as to the practical realities of long sea voyages. Marsala’s forgotten golden age, Madeira’s strange modern undervaluation, and the loss of clear drinking rituals around these wines all come into play.

Beyond wine, we dig into empire, alcohol, and power. Why the British seemed compelled to make alcohol wherever they went, rather than simply importing it. How rum functioned as currency, medicine, morale booster, and disciplinary tool in the Royal Navy. And how booze sat at the intersection of curiosity, science, commerce, and conquest in a way that feels distinctly British.

We finish by talking about historical drinking habits, Winston Churchill’s often misunderstood relationship with alcohol, and how modern attitudes to daytime drinking differ sharply from those of the past. It’s a wide-ranging conversation about how history, taste, trade, and alcohol are far more entangled than we usually admit.

00:00 Writing and Promoting Empire of Booze

03:15 If the British Empire Never Existed Which Drinks Would Never Have Existed?

05:45 How the English Established Bordeaux Wine

10:30 The Birth of Cognac: Dutch, English

13:00 Why Fortify Wine? Transport & Taste, Thomas Jefferson

16:15 What is Marsala Wine? History, Production, Brands, Comparison to Sherry

24:45 What’s Up with Madeira Wine?

29:15 Did the British Empire Need Booze to Function? Brokering, Producing, Trading

36:10 The British Navy & Rum

40:10 Was Winston Churchill an Alcoholic? Day Drinking, Beer for Recovery

52:45 Drinking with George Washington: Toasting, Rum, Revolution

57:20 Becoming a Writer

59:03 English Wine: Development, People, Quality

1:06:05 Gin - Craft vs. Classics, Cocktails

1:10:20 Favourite Cocktails, Exploring Flavours of the World

1:16:10 Is Cider England’s Wine?

1:20:47 The Invention of ‘Strong Glass Bottles’

1:24:20 John Mytton - Legendary Drinker and Party Animal

1:26:20 Future Project: Wine & Class⁠

Henry on Substack⁠ 

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🍷 Get 15% off the world's best drinking vessels at Denver & Liely using ⁠this link⁠

📷  ⁠Follow me on Instagram⁠ 

📚 I've written ⁠quite a few books⁠ on spirits and cocktails

Tom Dyer is a flair bartender, founder of the World Flair Association, and a bartending educator. Tom rose through the ranks of the flair bartending in the early 2000s and over a fifteen year stretch he won 12 UK championship titles, 2 World Championship titles and over 80 international flair bartending competitions across the globe. 

Unlike many of his contemporaries Tom has remained one of the leading figures in the flair community to this day, so is uniquely positioned to comment on the history and current status of this often misunderstood side of bartending. Tom has recently co-written the Flair Bartending book, which chronicles in great detail the story of flair going back almost 400 years!

On the episode we discuss the history of flair, from the early days of TGI Fridays, through to the movie Cocktail, and into flair competitions, the so-called 'golden age' of flair in the noughts, right up to present day stars of flair. We also touch on the evolution of flair, discussing craft flair, bar magic, and much more.This was such a fun conversation and Tom is genuinely the best ambassador for flair bartending that I can imagine.

⁠The Flair Bartending Book is available here⁠

*DISCOUNTS ON STUFF I LOVE*

☕ The best coffee liqueur from Algebra - use discount code CURIOUS15 for 15% off in ⁠their web shop⁠.

🍷 Get 15% off the world's best drinking vessels at Denver & Liely using ⁠this link ⁠

00:00 Documenting the History of Flair Bartending

04:20 *What it Takes to Become a World Class Flair Bartender

07:10 How Flair Competitions Work - IBA, FBA, WFA - Competition Structure, What Its Like Competing in a Flair Final, How Competitions Have Evolved

15:35 The Flair Bartending Book

18:24 The Origins of Flair Bartending - Jan Steen, Jerry Thomas, Japanese Flair

20:47 John Mescall - The First Modern Flair Bartender, TGI Friday’s

21:40 Cocktail Movie - Tom Cruise, John Bandy

25:40 The First Flair Competition - Bartender Olympics26:37 Regional Distinctions Between Flair: US vs European, Lee Miller & Bottle/Tin

31:25 Working in Flair: Bennigan’s, TGI’s, Ray Blade, Everyone’s a Flair Bartender

36:00 Craft Flair: Marian Beke, 5-Star Flair

40:30 Flair During a Bar Shift 

45:10 Bar Magic, Dickens

50:07 The Golden Era of Flair - Nicholas Saint Jean, Christian Delpeche, Tom Dyer, Neil Lowey

59:15 Flair in Las Vegas in 2004: Mindaugas Gradeckas

1:01:35 Tom Dyer Flair: Bottle Tin Is King

1:02:35 Legendary Flair Bars, Opening a Flair Bar Today - Pressure, Failure

1:08:20 Social Media: Flair Education, Entertainment, Exposure

1:12:52 The Difficulty of Originality

1:15:00 Physical Punishment of Flair Bartending

1:17:42 Current Flair Competitions: Arctic Flair, Las Vegas, Food Town Flair, Legends World Flair

1:19:42 Who are The Current Best Flair Bartenders in the World? Who are the Best of All Time?

1:22:50 Learnings from Writing the Book

📷 Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tristanstephenson/

📚 I've written quite a few books on spirits and cocktails - https://www.thecuriousbartender.com/

Sunny Hodge is an author, bar owner, and wine educator. He is the founder of two London wine bars: Diogenes The Dog and Aspen & Meursault. Sunny recently published his first book 'A Cynics Guide to Wine', which takes a refreshingly scientific approach to exploring the viniculture and wine making and shatters a few romantic notions in the process.

On the episode we delve deep into the science of roots, soil, minerals, and nutrients, exploring how soil impacts the health of vines and the flavour of grapes. This takes us right down to the atomic level, through plant biology, and into the drink in the glass. We also discuss rootstocks and how they impact viniculture and wine, delve into other drink categories such as agave spirits, discuss the importance of telling (true) stores, and linger on wine service and education.

This one gets very technical at times, but hopefully there's enough there to begin to get to grips with what is happening underground. Be sure to check out Sunny's book for more!

https://www.diogenesthedog.co.uk

https://www.baraspen.co.uk

Get 15% off the world's best drinking vessels at Denver & Liely using the discount code CURIOUS15 or clicking this link.

00:00 Why Are Cynics Important? Diogenes The Dog

04:35 Being Cynical about Terroir - Defining Terroir

18:00 VERY TECHNICAL: Does Soil Matter for Growing Grapes? Soil Composition, Roots, Rain, Minerals, Nutrients, Water Chemistry, Cations & Anions

41:45 Potassium, Tartrate Crystals & Cold Stabilisation

44:35 The Right Amount of Nutrients - Green Growth and Fruit Optimisation

48:30 Killing The Romance: Education, WSET, Inertia to Change

1:00:10 Does Dust and Dust Flavour Wine? Natural Fermentation

1:04:30 Rootstocks, Grape Species, Phylloxera 

1:10:20 Updating Education & Stories

1:19:10 Terroir in Agave Spirits: Ocho, Atanasio

1:21:30 Biological Terroir and Pesticides & Herbicides 

1:27:20 Sunny’s Wine Bars: Diogenes The Dog, Wine Service, Demystifying Spirits & Wine

Peter Dorelli has worked in UK hospitality for 65 years, having moved from Rome in the 1950's when he was 18. He is best known as the sixth head bartender of the American Bar at the Savoy (arguably the top bar job in the world) where he worked for over two decades. Despite his 'retirement' in 2003, Peter is still a regular feature on the London and international bar scene, serving as a judge for World Class and often seen at parties with his partner in crime, Salvatore Calabrese (who has also been on the show).On the episode Peter shares stories from his early years as an illegal immigrant in the UK, which include drinking competitions with Scottish trawler men, how a surprise fire burnt down the hotel he was working at in Leamington, and what it was like working under the legendary Joe Gilmore at the Savoy. We also get into a bit of a debate about whether bartenders should taste drinks before serving them. It was a great pleasure to interview Peter and I'm grateful to him for lending his time to the show.If you like these conversations, please consider subscribing, liking it, and sharing with other people who will like it too. This genuinely helps grow and support the show, and will allow me to continue recording conversations with people like Peter.00:00 The Last of the Dinosaurs - How Has Bartending Changed? The Cycle of Classic Cocktails, Creating Stories07:45 Has Bartending Lost Some of its Romance? Ambition and Pace of Younger Bartenders, Knowledgee Acquisition 14:20 Peter’s Early Career - Arriving in UK, Pendower Hotel, Becoming a bartender27:00 Becoming a Fugitive, Challenging a Scottish Trawler Man to a Drinking Competition* 40:35 Burnt Down Hotels in Leamington & Becoming a Butler, Going Legal53:00 Stones Restaurant, Pebbles Bar: Roger Moore, Alec Guinness1:02:55 The American Bar & Joe Gilmore: Art of Hospitality, Becoming a Master1:15:50 The American Bar in the 1980’s: Team, Operations, Cocktails, Savoy Cocktail Book, Harry Craddock & Ada Coleman, Being a Custodian, Peter’s Style1:34:30 DEBATE: Is it Necessary to Taste Every Drink Before Serving?1:47:40 The UKBG: Founding and Function1:51:20 Cocktail Competitions, Ego, Lessons Learned: Shoes2:00:00 Retiring & Closure of the Savoy (2004 - 2010), American Bar Stories, Death

Spotify not accepting videos from me for some reason - video version of this podcast is available on YouTube along with images to illustrate some of Peter's stories.📷 Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tristanstephenson/📚 I've written quite a few books on spirits and cocktails - https://www.thecuriousbartender.com/

Spotify will now include a video version of the podcast 🎉

Which also means I've done away with the introduction (probably also a 🎉 for most of you). These show notes will

offer a glimpse though, as well as the chapter markers.

To support please share, like & subscirbe.

Claire is a veteran of the hospitality industry having served as Global Belvedere Vodka Ambassador for many years, before moving into the non-alc space when she co-founded Æcorn Aperitifs with Seedlip founder Ben Branson. She has served as the Head of Luxury brands at Diageo, is a non-exec at Tales of the Cocktail, and spends great deal of time these days extolling the virtues of third spaces, social connection, and responsible consumption.

This episode is sponsored by Algebra Drinks - use code CURIOUS15 to get 15% off at https://algebradrinks.com/

00:00 Is Dry January Still Relevant?

05:01 The Gamification of Health

07:35 The Growth of Alcohol Free Brands - Function, Marketing, Occasions

18:10 The Cost of Non-Alcoholic Brands vs. Alcohol, Homemade Non-Alcohol Spirits, Legacy of Seedlip

24:40 Is Alcohol An Important Part of Socialising?

29:05 How is Socialising Changing? Atrophy of the Social Muscle

40:30 The Loneliness Epidemic

44:58 Hospitality as a Framework for Social Development

52:25 What Are Gen Z Doing if They’re Not Drinking?

55:02 Can Being Fit Mitigate the Effects of Moderate Alcohol Consumption?

1:04:40 Is Sugar Still Bad? Sweeteners: Taste & Health

1:08:30 Alcohol & Sleep

1:10:30 Solutions to the Hospitality & Social Crisis: Evolution of Hospitality

1:15:55 GLP1 Inhibitors and Hospitality

1:19:10 Is Health Just Another Trend?

Is the British pub dying?

In this episode I’m joined by beer and pub writer Will Hawkes, who has spent years travelling the country and visiting thousands of pubs for his reporting. We talk honestly about where British pub culture stands in the 2020's: the closures, the economic pressures, but also the surprising resurgence of affection for traditional boozers with carpets, darts boards and multiple rooms. Will argues that while the industry has been shrinking for over a century, what people still crave is the warmth, social glue and sense of belonging that only a great pub can provide.

From there we explore how pubs have evolved since the post-war years, from the dominance of breweries and the rise of the Big Six, through to gastropubs, craft beer and the shifting power of pub companies. Will explains why the person running a pub matters more than anything else, how regional quirks still define pub culture, and why some fiercely idiosyncratic rural pubs continue to thrive despite being miles from anywhere. We also dive into pub history – from gin palaces and tiled Victorian interiors to misleading claims about “the oldest pub in England” – and what really separates a pub from a bar or restaurant. It’s a wide-ranging conversation about class, nostalgia, architecture, community and why, despite everything, pubs still matter.

https://www.willhawkes.net/

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