Man visits 1,000 boozers on UK pub crawl and names 10 favorite – is your native on record?
Thomas Vosper has been running an annual pub crawl since his mid-twenties. In 2023, he wrote his first book of Historic Pub Crawls, of which elevated him to a social media sensation
Thomas has visited over 1,000 pubs as part of his pub-crawl mission
The great British pub crawl is a tradition we’re beginning to lose, as more and more pubs are threatened with closure and drinkers are increasingly being tempted to stay home and take advantage of low supermarket prices.
But Thomas Vosper is on a one-man mission to keep that tradition alive – and has documented his love of a good pub crawl in six best-selling books. The latest, Historic Pub Crawls Through Scotland, is out this week. Thomas is a great believer in the importance of pubs. “Whenever you go anywhere in the country, whether you’re with friends, whether you’re with family, even if you’re on your own, the first place you stop for is somewhere to get a drink and a bite to eat,” he told the Daily Star.
“I think that pubs and pub crawls specifically are a fantastic way of seeing different parts of history in an area and also the people as well.” It comes as punters up and down the country have been left gutted by some iconic pub crisps being axed.
Thomas has been running a pub crawl for his birthday every year since his mid-twenties. But when a series of personal setbacks left him at a loose end in 2023, he decided to turn his hobby into a personal mission, compiling a baker’s dozen of his favourite pub crawl routes into a self-published book that went viral. In the process, he has visited more than 1,000 boozers.
When planning a pub crawl, he says, you should plan for about 12 stops: “You can get a good variety of pubs that way… if you don’t fancy a certain type of pub, you can skip it and still know that it’s not long to get to the next one. For example, you know, some people might like a Sam Smith’s pub, some don’t, some like the big sort of grand banking halls, you know, that you see like on Wetherspoons typically. Others want a sports bar. I always think you could get a good mix out of 12.”
He says that while London offers the widest variety of pubs, there is something special about Liverpool. “As a Londoner, with 3,500 pubs, which about 10% of the UK pubs, London’s always the best place, for a drink,” he says. “I would say that Liverpool’s an absolutely sensational place though. It’s got some of the world’s most beautiful pubs: “The Philharmonic Dining Rooms, The Vines Big House is a stunning place that I think a lot of people miss.”
The Vines, on Liverpool’s Lime Street, is a spectacular Grade Two listed Edwardian-era pub that retains many of its original features: “I think that Liverpool, controversially, is better than Manchester for pubs,” Thomas says.
And while he is reluctant to name one particular favourite pub from the hundreds he has visited while researching his books, he has come up with list of 10 particularly memorable boozers that he’d go back to just for a quiet pint.
The Marquis – Covent Garden, London
With a long and colourful history dating back to the notorious Anne Talbot, mistress of the Duke of Buckingham’s mistress between 1667 and 1673, The Marquis – originally named the Hole in the Wall – offers an eclectic atmosphere with an excellent retro music policy.
The Warrington Hotel – Maida Vale, London
A Grade II listed boozer that featured in an episode of classic 70s cop show the Sweeney, the Warrington has a cosy, old-school decor that fits well with the historic theme to Thomas’s pub-crawls.
The Old Joint Stock – Birmingham
Rated by many as the best pub in the Midlands, The Old Joint Stock not only has an excellent pub-grub menu it also has a studio theatre.
The Philharmonic – Liverpool
An atmospheric Victorian pub with antique wood panelling and tiling, leather sofas, stained glass and chandeliers, supping a pint in the Philharmonic is like stepping back into the golden age of the great British pub.
The Vines – Liverpool
Also known as “The Big House,” The Vines is a stunning location. Dating back to 1907, it boasts breathtaking period architecture, grand mahogany bars, intricate plasterwork, and a magnificent stained-glass dome.
The Peveril of the Peak – Manchester
Considered to be of “outstanding national historic importance” by The Campaign for Real Ale, the strangely-named pub dates back to the 1820s. It’s name may be derived from a novel by Sir Walter Scott, or possibly the London-to-Manchester stagecoach. Like Covent Garden’s Marquis, it was reportedly used as a brothel for many years.
The Guildford Arms – Edinburgh
One of Scotland’s so-called “People’s Palaces,” The Guildford Arms is one of a very few elaborately designed and ornamented bars serving from what many have called the ‘Golden Age’ of Scottish pub design.
The Centurion – Newcastle
Another classic, wood-panelled pub, the Centurion has had a sports bar make3over in recent years but still retains a magical old-world charm.
The Prince Albert – Brighton
Fitting in with the Sussex city’s bohemian atmosphere, the Prince Albert operates as a music venue as well as a pub. It’s best-known for its huge mural depicting music legends such as Amy Winehouse, Jimi Hendrix, and Kurt Cobain.
The Gravediggers – Dublin
You’d be hard-pressed to find a bad pint of Guinness in Dublin, but the Gravediggers stands out as offering one of the best. It’s an explicit old-school pub with with no music playing, no TV showing endless football, and where conversation is most important.
It’s no surprise, Thomas says, that Ireland is the best place for a Guinness: “If you go to Ireland, that’s where the best Guinness is. End of. There debate’s over.
“if you want a lager, go to Scotland and go and get a Tennent’s. It’s their national drink – well that or Irn-Bru.”
Thomas’ associated @historicpubcrawls instagram account has well over a quarter of a million followers, but it all started from very humble beginnings: “I started going into pubs, bearing in mind I didn’t even have an Instagram account at that point, and saying ‘You’re in my book. Can I have a free pint? I’m going to film it and put it on the internet. I’ll be famous, you’ll be rich.’
“Obviously the first place that I went into told me to go and do one. as you can imagine..And in fact most did on that day. We went to 15, five told me to do one, five said ‘Buy your own drink, you cheeky sod. And the final one gave us pints all night.
“I thought ‘I might be onto something here.’ That was 2½ years ago when I started doing that. And now, my 1st few books did really well, and so that then got me the attention of a publisher… that seemed great to me.”
For his latest book, Historic Pub Crawls Through Scotland, he will of course be celebrating with a few drinks in Edinburgh: “My book launch is going to be at the Guildford Arms,” he says, “which is just one of the most beautiful pubs in the whole world.”
