Publicans (and taproomicans): has January been as quiet/busy as you expected? More so? Less so? You can DM if you like. We're after data.

We're being sued for libel by a London businessman who thinks he can bully us into taking down a @londonermag.bsky.social story about him. He's wrong! Please read and share. www.the-londoner.co.uk/the-londoner...

Visited three West Dulwich pubs yesterday as part of my personal crusade to save the great British boozer 😌. Highlight was the Alleyn’s Head, which was rammed & lively courtesy of an ongoing wake. Boltmaker and packet of nuts, £5.10.

w.b. yeats died on this day in 1939. if, instead of dying, he had begun to age again but in reverse, he would have reached his birth - i.e. become 0 years old - in 2012. Assuming that he then began ageing in the normal direction again, he would currently be 14 years old and preparing for his gcses

Got a taxi yesterday and the driver didn’t have any music on, nor did he wish to talk. Just quiet. Very awkward and borderline disquieting. I could hear his water swilling around when he went to have a glug

Just the Greens teaming up with Reform to oppose housing. www.kentonline.co.uk/gravesend/ne...

There's a new @londonbeercity.bsky.social out today, focusing on an amazing flat-roof pub in Hammersmith that may or may not be re-opening. It's got this bull outside. If that has wetted your appetite - and how could it not? - please sign up and I'll fire it over www.willhawkes.net/london-beer-...

There's a new @londonbeercity.bsky.social out today, focusing on an amazing flat-roof pub in Hammersmith that may or may not be re-opening. It's got this bull outside. If that has wetted your appetite - and how could it not? - please sign up and I'll fire it over www.willhawkes.net/london-beer-...

While the conclusion is not wrong, a lot of the evidence in this column is incorrect. CRR data only counts closures: yes 35 “outlets” a day closed, but 25 also opened. So not all high streets are suffering, some are booming - and they are usually where the local population has money to spend (1/3)

The pub as the third place. With thanks to @boakandbailey.bsky.social retiredmartin.com/2026/01/13/y...

This is the women's toilet in Zur Quelle. It's always fun trying to wash your hands whilst standing awkwardly over the toilet bowl as it's such a small cubicle.

Some Berlin pub toilet highlights, inspired by @willhawkes.bsky.social

I've just posted some pictures of urinals from around the UK on instagram. Get over there!

I am very much enjoying @willhawkes.bsky.social instagram account these days, namely the rich resource of pub photos it contains. I really like nice pubs with great beer and he has some amazing picture collections there. Check it out if you can www.instagram.com/will_hawkes?...

Good one this Boxing Day. Climbed on a chair to close a Velux window, was getting down when sister's dog emerged from under the table just where I was going to put my foot. Undignified middle-aged tumble into wall, foot in dog's water bowl, water mostly on me. Purple bruising only now dissipating.

Font/typography perverts - what's the name of this font, seen at Callanan's, but familiar to a certain category of 20th century Irish business?

New pub in Liverpool opening next month, the Shandon Bells, with a mid-century aesthetic. Inspired by the city of Cork and flat-roof pubs, apparently - owned by the same people who run the Vines. Looks great to me. (I have stolen these pix from their Instagram)

Saw Fulham win at the Olympic Stadium today. Odd decisions by the home team on and off the pitch

🎵 Simply having a liminal Christmas time 🎶

Got these in for tonight. Let the bells ring out for Christmas

Celly Drippins is a terrible name for a beer. Sounds like a Victorian ailment

I’ll be opening up the Shirker’s again on Christmas Day, before going home to cook lunch tipsy. Always such a lovely, festive pub-family vibe, with people bringing food to share and pausing for a couple of hours in the madness. One of my favourite pub days.

From Propel: Beavertown's losses grew in the year to 31 December 2024. A pre-tax loss of £831,546 in 2023 widened to £2,728,853, as administrative expenses rose by more than £800,000. Turnover was £104,623,877. (Beavertown is owned by Heineken)

🪪 Need another reason for ID cards? UK councils need to ask people to check if they get cost-of-living payments. In Malaysia, eligible citizens get MYR100 (just under £20) automatically added to their ID cards, which can be used in grocery stores like cash (www.sara.gov.my/en/home.html)

Apologies, i was just dicking around with this. It’s Old Peculier. @whatjoewrote.bsky.social saw through my childish ruse

Which Belgian classic is this?

GOOD MORNING! Here's the latest edition of news, nuggets and longreads, with notes on the health of the cask ale market, the untrendiness of taprooms, and more. 🍺🍻 boakandbailey.com/2025/12/news...

Unmissable new post where Hawkes picks his top 10 real ale pubs in London (I think he should do a bottom 10 too - worst pints of year).

This month's @londonbeercity.bsky.social is going out now - featuring the revival of hand-painted pub signs, two central London street-corner classics and (my first bit of shameless clickbait) the 10 best cask-ale pubs in the capital. And much more! Sign up now: www.willhawkes.net/london-beer-...

I drank (probably too many) pints of London Porter at the Coach and Horses in Greek Street yesterday, it was absolutely perfect. It might still be on so why not get down there?

Superb writing from Henry Jeffreys about solitary drinking in a pub.

This is the best beer glass.

Here's me on Martyn's big black book of big black beer: beoir.org/2025/12/05/p...

Far be it from me to cast aspersions on Guinness's new Harp guide, but not far from me the related tool/map includes a Spoons that has been shut for at least a year (London and Rye) and excludes the Blythe Hill Tavern. Madness www.guinness.com/en-gb/shop#f...

In Praise of the Beer Town — in my occasional blog for the folks at @geterbrewed.bsky.social I’ve written about what makes a great town beer scene, and for the haters I’ve included my own personal top 10. www.geterbrewed.com/blog/2025/11...

A few days past its best before - but tasting v good 🫡

Incredible to play as badly as Fulham did there and still win. But that’s the glory of football!

This Timothy Taylor advert is supposed to make me want a pint of Landlord, but it hasn't worked because the furniture arrangements in that pub look incredibly uncomfortable

It's Ashesmas eve - but all through bluesky not a creature is stirring, not even a fucking mouse. So please enjoy these pictures of cricket-related pubs, and a bonus shot of Graham Gooch 👌

Keep on lagering on, my piece in the DT includes the likes of @teamutopian.bsky.social @lostandgrounded.bsky.social and @pillarsbrewery.bsky.social i think this is not the paywalled bersion www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-dri...

It just got left on the wrong side of the border after all that unpleasantness in the early 1920s...

Have I really been so carelessly provocative? 😲 There's only one way to find out. Sign up here: www.willhawkes.net/london-beer-...

It's the worst beer vessel. Like drinking out of a vase

There is, incredibly, a new @londonbeercity.bsky.social tomorrow. It features Guinness' belated arrival in Covent Garden, London pubs owned by London breweries, the new venue for LCBF, The Lady magazine and lots more. Sign up here: www.willhawkes.net/london-beer-...

This is being sent out right now! Thrilling when you think about it

There is, incredibly, a new @londonbeercity.bsky.social tomorrow. It features Guinness' belated arrival in Covent Garden, London pubs owned by London breweries, the new venue for LCBF, The Lady magazine and lots more. Sign up here: www.willhawkes.net/london-beer-...

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