'Pubs lost their way, but we're bringing traditional boozers back'

Christian and Alice Ogley (left), who run a pub in Knaresborough, and Nicole Deighton and Sam Pullan (right), who run a pub in Leeds, have won awards for their respective establishments

In a cosy room overlooking a market square, four pub landlords have come together to celebrate winning national awards over a pint.

Sam Pullan and Nicole Deighton, who run The Highland Laddie in Leeds, are here to visit their fellow licensees Christian and Alice Ogley at Blind Jack's in Knaresborough for a "knees-up".

Against a backdrop of nearly 300 pubs closing down in England and Wales in 2024, according to the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), the two couples seem to have bucked the trend.

The Highland Laddie was recently awarded the title of Best Pub in Britain by the Good Food Guide, while Blind Jack's won Best Beer Pub at the Great British Pub Awards.

Christian, 33, and Alice, 32, have been running Blind Jack's for eight years, after scribbling out their business plan for the North Yorkshire establishment on a beer mat. It had been their local before they took it over.

"We previously had a restaurant and we really enjoyed coming in here, it was the place that we came to at the end of a long shift and it was just a nice relaxed environment," Christian explains.

"Then when we found out it was up for sale, it just had to happen."

Alice adds: "Instead of buying our first house, we bought our first pub instead."

Sam, 42, and Nicole, 33, reopened The Highland Laddie earlier this year after the well-established city centre boozer closed down two years ago.

"It's a pub that I've always known since being 18, 19 and into my early 20s," Sam says.

"So we went and had a look and it was really nice.

"Nicole's been brought up in pubs. We're part of pub culture, we love pubs and we love what they mean to communities."

Nicole and Sam were keen to return to the traditional way of running a pub

The couples agree that things have changed in the hospitality industry and not necessarily for the better.

"I think it's harder now," Sam admits.

"I think what happened, and this is before lockdown actually, is that a lot of pubs lost their way and the traditional landlord-led pub disappeared.

"You would spend time with them and you might not see them that often, but when you did bump into them, it was always a warm feeling."

He recalls landlords and ladies bringing out sausage rolls or chip butties on a Sunday evening.

"We've got this dreaded word 'gastropub' and I think they just went quite commercialised with it," Sam says.

"Everything had an advert on it, every pint of Carling had an advert for watching the football on a Sunday, it just went too much down that route."

However post-lockdown, the landlords thought pubs were "going back to their roots" and making the experience more personal again.

Christian and Alice host a variety of regulars and Knaresborough tourists

At both the Leeds and Knaresborough venues, regular customers are described as the beating heart of the establishments.

"They'll chat to our small children as they come in from nursery," Alice says.

"The regulars are literally part of the family, in every single week, same time, same table."

Despite 2021 NHS statistics suggesting Gen Z are drinking less alcohol, both sets of landlords find the younger generation still enjoy a trip to the pub.

"There's quite an industry rumour that young people aren't drinking and whatnot and I'm starting to really disagree with this," Christian says.

"When I was younger I was going to nightclubs but now they seem to be looking for experiences and I think a place like ours offers an experience."

The landlords also notice that young people are returning to classic "old man drinks".

"They're absolutely wild for milds, for Bass, for all these traditional ales that maybe they knew from parents or grandparents growing up," Christian says.

Sam and Nicole says they are serving more Guinness and whiskey than ever to Gen Z.

"It's like it's a new thing all of a sudden, it's not, it's always been there," Sam says.

"It's really nice that the younger generation are getting into it and actually seeing what's been around for hundreds of years and enjoying it."

Sam adds that The Highland Laddie does not host just one particular demographic.

"You've got people coming for all sorts of different reasons, whether it's to visit family or they're on a business trip," he says.

"That's the wonderful thing about pubs, isn't it?" Christian says.

"It's the level playing field, you could be the cleaner stood next to somebody that owns a huge company and you're the same person in that environment."

The Highland Laddie has been operating for decades

Although the pubs are thriving, they still face challenges.

Without missing a beat, Sam says their biggest threat is "government tax, 100%".

"The only thing we can claim VAT back on is our premises cost and our alcohol, the rest, we can't," he adds.

"The public only accept to pay so much for something, no matter how brilliant you make it. People's pockets are kind of empty at the minute."

Christian and Alice say the costs can be "strangling".

"Once every three months, your heart goes when you see how much it is," Alice admits.

Sam adds: "I think you'll find as well, between me, Christian and Alice and Nicole, there's no Ferraris outside.

"There's nothing fancy about us and we'll always do this no matter what money we make, we just love it."

Both couples are raising their young families in the pub environment.

"We think it's a fantastic world, especially hospitality, to bring our kids into and teach them how to socialise with people and how to treat people with respect," Sam says.

"And how to pour a pint!" Christian laughs.

A government spokesperson said pubs were "vital to local communities".

"That's why we're cutting the cost of licensing, lowering their business rates and helping more hospitality businesses offer pavement drinks and outdoor dining, on top of cutting alcohol duty on draught pints and capping corporation tax," they said.

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