Here’s a cheeky little bonus episode for you this week. The quintessential British pub is changing.  Is that good, bad, or just necessary?  Well, pause a minute and let’s imagine that you’re sitting in a pub, and on the drinks menu you find a delightful rose cider, served by the wine glass; a fine small batch English whisky, described as having notes of cherry; and an impressive selection of mocktails and botanical-based soft drinks and cordials.  

Then you notice that the pub isn’t just open at lunch time and in the evenings: it offers art and floristry classes in the afternoons and a mum and toddler’s coffee morning between 9 and 12 on weekdays.  

Maybe your local organises these sorts of things already.  If it does, it falls into what my guest today describes as the ‘hybrid pub’ category.  They include pubs which use their buildings in different ways or partner up with local breweries, distilleries and chefs, to offer their customers new drink and food experiences – from supper clubs to gin safaris.  

Keterina Albanese is the Content Director of The Pub Show, also known as ‘Pub 20’.  It opens its doors on the 4^th and 5^th February at Olympia in London, and as you’ll hear now, it’s the place to learn about the latest trends and be inspired on how to make a pub a success…