What makes a good pub?

Well, a lot of different things.

It’s generally easier to make a bad pub than it is to make a good one, and there are tons of different things that make a pub good to one person — and other things that make it special to someone else.

This is pretty much an ode to what I think makes a good pub. You may not agree. And if you don’t, we’ll both survive. Cheers to that.

Some small things that matter are obvious. The price of a drink can’t be ridiculously high. You’re always going to see a fluctuation depending on where you are and what you’re drinking (so don’t expect to be thrilled by what you’re paying for a pint in Fulham). Bearing that in mind, take price out of it — you should have half an idea of what you’re likely to pay when you walk in.

A good pub is one that feels welcoming the moment you walk through the door. You don’t want a group of people (including the staff) to turn and glare at you. (Which has happened to us before.) You also don’t want complete silence, like you’ve made a fatal error by crossing the threshold. A good pub has a light buzz of conversation — and if no one’s there, a quiet level of music to welcome you in. The staff behind the bar are busy and conversational with the punters, smiling but not rushing over to you the second you arrive.

Call me old-fashioned — or a grumpy old bastard — but as soon as I walk in, I want to see where I can sit, where I’m going, and get a sense of the place before I’m approached. When ready, you approach the bar and hope for a friendly face (or at least not a threatening one — everyone can have a bad day).

There are a lot of niches that make a place special to people: beer gardens, showing the football, the range of beer, or novelties like games, views, events, etc. But it’s the simple things that make a good pub great. It doesn’t need to be fancy, but it needs to get the basics right.

The decor doesn’t need to be high-end, but it should be clean and consistent. Commit to it. If you’re going old-school, carry that feel throughout — don’t randomly add modern touches. If it’s ultra-modern, then be proud and embrace it. Pubs often get scrutinised for being too modern, since the stereotypical pub in people’s minds is a classic public house. People like what they know and don’t like change. But there’s nothing wrong with a refresh — as long as you go the whole hog.

As you’ve been told many times before: size doesn’t matter — it’s what you do with it that counts. A good small pub is called cosy; a bad one is called cramped. A good big pub is called spacious; a bad one gets criticised for being empty and lacking atmosphere.

Effectively, a good pub is one you’d happily go back to. One you’d take your mates and family to. One where you don’t instantly want to turn around and head home. One where you can sit alone and not feel incredibly uncomfortable.

Great food helps too.