John Keeling, like many, is a keen advocate for pub lunches. They bring people together and allow us to communicate. Equally, they can offer up a moment of solace away from the rigmarole of the place of work. Either way, they are beneficial exercise and we should all be engaging in more of them.

Anybody who follows me on Twitter will know of my fondness for pub lunches. Indeed, my fondness for pubs in general is also evident. I think we might all have slightly different views on what makes a good pub and what use is the pub lunch. In this article, an article that has been deeply researched I might add, I will give you my own particular take on these institutions.

So just what is the purpose of a pub lunch. For me, as a retired person, it is a chance to get out of the house and to meet up with friends. I might have a pint or two but rarely any more than that.

So firstly, the object is not to get drunk but to chat over a pint and a meal. I like meeting up with the pub staff too and it is great to chew the fat with them. I mostly meet up with friends who are still working, so they cannot spend all afternoon in the pub, and they most certainly can’t have several drinks. 

But what value is it to them? I remember when I was working, I would go to the pub for lunch most days. I found the time spent, even if I was alone, was well spent. The chance to recharge the batteries and to think, was very important to me.

When I was with colleagues and friends the chance to bounce ideas off them and talk through problems was most valuable. Indeed, when I was most productive, I put this down to those lunch time meetings. I particularly remember the chats with Steve Wilkinson, the operations director, and many ideas first drew breath at those lunches.

Nowadays, people don’t really get a lunch break. They eat at their desk or a hurried sandwich in the canteen. I would go even further and say most people at work rarely get the chance to think.  It is the doers who like working all hours as long as they are busy, and they frown at the thinkers who they think are lazy.

That is why so many businesses lack vision and a decent strategy. So, to have a pub lunch helps a person be more productive and is therefore good for business. If pub lunches were compulsory, then absolutely the world would be a better place. 

But what is the role of the pint in those lunches? The beer I think helps the discussion; it emboldens the junior to speak to the director. It is the social lubricant that helps bring people of different view points and out of this comes the best ideas and more importantly the best buys in of the idea because nobody can remember who said it first. Sometimes I think even Brexit could be solved over a pint or maybe two.

I would like now to discuss what makes a great pub. Of course, I can only give you my opinion and to do this I want to explain why I like the following three pubs, The Wheatsheaf in Adelaide, The Bell and Crown in Strand on the Green and lastly the Red Lion Barnes.

The common denominator in all these three is the manager or landlord. They all have vision, understand their markets and, above all, have absolute passion for what they do. They literally live, sleep, and breathe the pub. They also know how to look after cask beer (very important to me). It is a job I would hate to do, however.

Imagine running a party every night, and being nice to everyone.…

No that’s not me! The people that run pubs, serve behind the bar and look after the cellar are my heroes and heroines. 

Ok the first pub I want to talk about is the The Wheatsheaf in Australia or “The Wheaty”, as it is known.

This was recommended to me by Stu McKinlay, of Yeastie Boys and I was not disappointed. The building was exactly how I imagined an Aussie pub to look like and it had been decorated in a funky, quirky way.

The list of craft beers was substantial, including many of their beers brewed on site. They are never short of endless requests from brewers asking to do collabs with them. When I arrived, I was greeted with a warm welcome and the bar staff talked about the beers on offer and gave me samples to try.

After a while, I introduced myself and then she called the manager to meet me who then took me around the brewery. I sadly only had time to visit once, but it is definitely a place I felt really at home in.

Their passion was clearly evident, the next time I am in Australia, I am going to blag myself a collaboration with them.

The second pub is the Bell and Crown, Kew. This is the closest of, my choices, to my home, so I view it as my local and is the pub I use most often. It ticks many boxes for me.

It offers a great location by The Thames, perfectly kept cask beer and good food. This is the pub I choose for family celebrations, pub lunches and even just a cup of coffee.

Fiona, the manager, always makes an effort to have a chat, despite being rushed off her feet most times. Her staff are amongst the very best I have come across in the trade. 

Lastly is the Red Lion in Barnes, where my friend Angus, who makes a mean Pina Colada Rice Pudding, inspires his team to greatness.

Angus & Claire really know how to look after their customers. This is evident, because if you ever try to rock up on a Sunday for a roast and haven’t booked, you will have a long wait.

Angus keeps his cellar spick span clean and has won Master Cellarman Awards from Fullers for doing just that. He keeps a close eye on his chefs and is always mentoring them. 

If you do decide to go there for lunch, the time will fly by. You would have thought you had been there for only an hour, but it would have actually been three!

So overall, and I think all of you must agree with me that, there isn’t a situation or a problem that can’t be solved or improved by a pint in a great pub.

Cheers!