A pint of beer in your favourite pub. Is there any better combination? Beer and pubs have been synonymous ever since the first beer was served in an inn hundreds of years ago.
Intro
Brewers and publicans have supported and relied on each other ever since. Today, 7 in 10 alcoholic drinks sold in a pub is beer, and beer sales account for 40% of pubs’ turnover.
It’s hard to overstate the importance of pubs and brewing to the UK. Culturally, economically and socially they play a significant role in our lives. The last two years has reminded all of us what we miss when our social lives are restricted, and for many, the pub is at the heart of that.
Pubs
There are more than 46,000 pubs in the UK. They come in all shapes, styles and sizes offering something for everyone.
Whether it’s the cosy pub at the end of a country walk, the city pub for after work drinks, or the coastal pub that serves the perfect fish and chips every time, each pub offers something unique.
Pubs are at the heart of communities across the UK, a place for friends, families and neighbours to gather.
They are host to weddings and birthdays, engagements & anniversary celebrations, first dates, overdue reunions, and countless Sunday lunches. Pubs are shorthand for public places - places where people from different walks of life can meet - the original social network & still the best.
£100k
Is the amount a local pub adds to the local economy. By creates jobs, acts as a social hub, and is a sought-after amenity when house hunting.
600k
People are employed by pubs throughout the UK. Experience working in a pub sets people up for greatness.
>25
43% Of the people are employment by pubs are under the age of 25 and countless people’s first job was in the local pub
1 in 5
Of us fall in love in the pub. Making the pub integral to the very relationships the country is built on.
For our film we shot on location at various pubs across the country. This is The Plaquemine Lock 
Ye Olde Mitre in London is a historical, city centre pub. 
The Oyster Shed is a riverside local with stunning views. 
Dating back to 1431, the Dog & Bull is a traditional local pub. 
The Faltering Fullback - an Irish pub that’s big on sport.
A local pub adds £100,000 to the local economy, creates jobs, acts as a social hub, and is a sought-after amenity when house hunting. 85% of pubs are based in community and rural areas, bringing jobs to parts of the UK that need them most. They employ over 600,000 people, of which 43% are under 25 and countless people’s first job was in the local pub. Whether eventually becoming a comedian, a physicist, a publican or even an MP, experience working in a pub sets people up for greatness.
They are also at the heart of the UK’s culture, many of our most famous musicians began their journeys in pub open mics; one of the most notable started out in small Surrey pubs and is today playing stadiums around the world. Open mics are also home to comedians, whether taking their first steps or established names trying new material, and theatre pubs put on amateur and professional shows up and down the country.
We renamed the Rose & Crown in Clapham Common, London to the Rose & Rory. 
This was in honour of Rose Maclachlan and Rory Chisolm, who met for the first time at the pub. 
The pair got talking after Rory accidentally spilled a pint of beer on Rose and have been together ever since! 
Jodie Kidd shared a pint with the couple after revealing the sign, in tribute to their love story. 
Jodie is no stranger to a pub love story herself, favouring her favourite local for special date nights with her partner Joe.
If all this wasn’t enough, 1 in 5 of us fall in love in the pub, making the pub integral to the very relationships the country is built on. As part of the launch of Long Live The Local we found many people who met in the pub and discovered some truly amazing stories.
"It’s hard to imagine what the country would be like without pubs, hopefully we’ll never have to!”
Brewing
Beer has been the UK’s national drink for thousands of years; we have one of the richest brewing histories in the world and are still at the forefront of brewing today. 82% of the beer consumed in the UK is still brewed in the UK.
Sitting in a pub with a glass of beer is at the very heart of our culture, and something that has been enjoyed for generations.
We are rich in brewing history and our innovation provided the basis for some of the most recognisable and popular beer styles in the world. Inspired by our malting techniques, the first pale lager was brewed in the town of Pilsen, Bohemia in 1842; this beer was the forerunner of all “pils” or “pilsner” beers we know and love today. In fact, it’s the world’s most popular beer style.
British brewers also invented what is today one of the world’s most popular beer styles - India Pale Ale, or IPA. In 1822, brewers in Burton upon Trent were keen to enter the Indian market so created beer for consumption on the sub-continent. It turned out the water in Burton was ideal for making pale beers, so the IPA was born and Burton brewers dominated the market for years to come.
It’s not all ancient history though, there’s never been a better time to enjoy beer in the UK.
Beer helps support British agriculture as UK farmers produce most of the malted barley and wheat used in domestic beer production as well as being exported to brewers worldwide. Similarly, British hops are renowned for their earthy flavour and are sought after by brewers around the world. In this way, not only is British beer loved by people from all corners of the world, British ingredients are used in some of the most popular and recognisable beers from other countries.
2,000
Breweries produce beers in the UK. there’s never been a better time to enjoy beer.
140
Different styles using the best natural ingredients to produce beers of unrivalled quality and goodness that are exported all over the world.
1 billion
Pints are exported every year to 110 countries across the world.