Comedian Joe Lycett is funding free drinks at 30 pubs across the UK this Friday as part of a campaign to support local venues, with two Manchester pubs confirmed to be participating. Punters can receive a free pint by simply asking for their order to be put on ‘Joe’s tab’.

Each of the selected pubs will have £100 placed behind the bar by Lycett, who hosts the Channel 4 programme Live from the Lycett Arms. The initiative aims to highlight the vital role of pubs as community hubs and help them “weather the storm” of closures, as reported by Metro.co.uk. Lycett announced his plan during the closing moments of a recent episode of his show, encouraging viewers to “go and give them some love” from the approximately 45,000 pubs in the UK.

How to Claim Your Free Pint

To benefit from Lycett’s initiative, visitors to any of the 30 participating pubs this Friday need only ask bar staff to place their drink order on ‘Joe’s tab’. Each pub has been allocated £100, which will be available until it runs out. While the specific Manchester venues are not detailed in the source material, they are confirmed to be part of the national scheme highlighted by Secret Manchester.

Supporting Community Pubs

Lycett’s campaign extends across the country, with locations in Bristol, Cardiff, Sheffield, and London also benefiting. One notable example is The Crown in Cuddington, Buckinghamshire, which received a £100 bar tab. This community pub was reopened following a significant £660,000 fundraising campaign and is now owned by over 200 shareholders through a Community Benefit Society, as detailed by the Oxford Mail. The Metro also reported that The Miller in London Bridge plans to double Lycett’s contribution, offering £200 from 6pm.

Ryan Peasland, landlord at The Somerset Inn in Chard, praised Lycett for drawing attention to the unique community aspect of pubs. He emphasised that while supermarkets offer cheap drinks, they cannot replicate the “connection, the community, the laughter, the sharing a load that takes place in local pubs.”

Joe Lycett’s Call to Action

Known for his appearances on the BBC show Celebrity Traitors, Lycett used his platform to advocate for public houses. He urged viewers to “support your nearest and nicest pub,” stating, “It’s only thanks to your custom that they’ll weather the storm and carry on serving us all. Think global, drink in your local.” The comedian’s commitment reflects a broader sentiment about the importance of pubs, echoing sentiments from figures like former Spandau Ballet star Tony Hadley, who has actively supported several community pub buyouts, arguing that many brewers “are not running the pubs the way they should be run.”