{"id":992962,"date":"2026-05-29T21:02:24","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T21:02:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/992962\/"},"modified":"2026-05-29T21:02:24","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T21:02:24","slug":"could-lectures-save-londons-pubs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/992962\/","title":{"rendered":"Could lectures save London\u2019s pubs?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The hospitality industry has tried everything to keep its doors open, from karaoke and darts to shuffleboard and quiz nights. But could academia be the key to keeping our pubs afloat?\u00a0
<\/strong><\/p>\n

When Jenny Okolo started her London-based lecture series, she never anticipated how popular it would become, and how fast.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A psychiatric occupational therapist who\u2019s worked in mental health for around seven years, Okolo started Mind Circles Talks<\/a> to give people the opportunity to learn more about their mind and wellbeing. Now, instead of starting her mornings with social media scrolls and check-ins with loved ones, she wakes up to her events selling out online.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean it when I say people buy tickets when I\u2019m sleeping,\u201d she explained. \u201cI wake up and the event is either sold out or is nearly sold out. It\u2019s definitely a learning curve for me. I\u2019m very excited.\u201d<\/p>\n

@mindcirclestalks<\/a> <\/p>\n

POV: you came for after-work drinks and ended up at a lecture about the self \ud83e\udde0 That\u2019s the idea behind our relaxed Sip n\u2019 Learn series in London where curious minds gather to explore big questions. Our next event welcomes neuroscientist and psychologist Louise Spurgeon, who will guide us through one of the most fascinating questions in psychology and neuroscience. How is the self actually formed? Next talk\ud83c\udfa4 The Concept of Self: Who Are You Really? \ud83d\udccd The Devereux, London \ud83d\udcc5 27th March 2026 Comment \u2018LEARN\u2019 and we\u2019ll send you the ticket link!\ud83e\udde0 #londonbars<\/a> #londonhotspots<\/a> #Londonevents<\/a> #afterworkvibes<\/a> #neuroscience<\/a> <\/p>\n

\u266c original sound \u2013 Arrowredxz<\/a> <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A lecture event series that couples mental health with the expertise of trusted professionals, Mind Circles\u2019 \u2018Sip n\u2019 Learn\u2019\u00a0takes the prestigious academic findings of university out of inaccessible lecture halls and straight into the heart of a cosy London pub or bar.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kicking off only a few months ago in March, the event quickly gained traction on social media, garnering TikTok views that range from 17.7K<\/a> on one post to 93.3K<\/a> on another.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you explain to someone that the idea of going to a bar to listen to an expert give a lecture on how your mind works is actually your idea of a fun night out?\u201d one reel asks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cComment \u2018LEARN\u2019 and we\u2019ll send you the ticket link,\u201d states another. The post has 4,031 likes, 2,020 saves and 391 replies \u2013 all asking for the link to be shared.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, viral London lecture event Pints of Knowledge<\/a> is filling up venues on nights where they otherwise would be empty. \u201cLook at this place,\u201d Event Host and Community Manager Maddie Winchester said as she gestured to the trendy interiors of Camden Town Brewery Beer Hall. <\/p>\n

\u201cOn a typical Monday or Tuesday night, they\u2019d maybe have a couple of tables filled. Yet we\u2019ve managed to sell out two talks. That\u2019s 200 attendees. 200 people that wouldn\u2019t have walked through the doors.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Pints of Knowledge was founded by Callum Campbell around 11 months ago after he decided to combine his love of university-level learning with his fondness for going to the pub. <\/p>\n

The popular lecture series also invites experts to share their research with curious attendees armed with pints, and diverse topics include the future of the novel, private equity and artificial intelligence.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Pints of Knowledge is also a social media success. Its TikTok page<\/a> has 11.4K followers, and post views regularly reach the 24K <\/a>mark, with a recent post hitting 113K<\/a> views. Initially, the events only managed to sell around a third of their tickets. Now they sell out every talk, with waitlists already forming for lectures a month in advance.<\/p>\n

\"PeoplePINTS AND POWERPOINTS: Pints of Knowledge allows pub-goers to enjoy an academic lecture in Camden Town Brewery (Credit: Katie Hall) <\/p>\n

The success of these two events comes at a time when pubs are facing a bleak future. According to The British Beer and Pub Association<\/a> (BBPA), 161 pubs closed in the first three months of 2026 across England, Scotland and Wales. The regions in England that suffered the most were London and the South East (0.5% closures), with the East of England following closely behind (0.4% closures).\u00a0<\/p>\n

Pubs closing up shop is nothing new; in 2025, it was reported that 366<\/a> public houses shut down over the course of the year. <\/p>\n

The government\u2019s 15% tax relief plan <\/a>for pubs \u2013 set amid backlash to the November budget\u2019s plan to increase business rates \u2013 aims to provide support. But, in an online statement, BBPA CEO Emma McClarkin said that a \u201clong-term plan\u201d is needed to deliver \u201cpermanently lower bills, a fairer system and ultimately protect this treasured sector\u201d. <\/p>\n

But with reduced consumer spending, rising labour costs, and increasing fuel and energy prices due to the Iran war, it doesn\u2019t look like the pressure on pubs will be letting up anytime soon.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIn terms of financially keeping the pubs afloat, I hope I\u2019m making a bit of a contribution,\u201d Okolo\u00a0said.\u00a0Mind Circles\u2019 attendees vary across all ages; some people come alone, with friends after work and even on dates. Okolo believes that events like Mind Circles can help the hospitality industry by bringing in new customers while catering to those who may not be frequent pub-goers, such as non-drinkers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

So why are these lecture-style pub events becoming so popular in the first place? \u201cI think people are yearning for more,\u201d Okolo said.<\/p>\n

Having originally started the series in the halls of King\u2019s College London, Okolo believes the pub setting only adds to Mind Circles\u2019 appeal. She partnered with The Devereux Pub<\/a> as she was eager for people to experience the lectures in a \u201cnon-traditional way\u201d, and instantly noticed a switch in atmosphere. \u201cIt just felt more relaxed,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd for those who don\u2019t drink, it\u2019s taking away that focus \u2013 it feels much more inclusive.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

For Winchester, it\u2019s the casual combination of having a pint whilst learning that makes a Pints of Knowledge ticket so desirable, and the feeling of accessibility that this brings. \u201cIt\u2019s also having something to do on a weeknight that isn\u2019t scrolling or spending loads of money,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n

\"AQUESTION TIME: Attendees posed hard-hitting questions to the lecturer at the end of the talk (Credit: Katie Hall)<\/p>\n

It seems that venues are taking notice of this popular niche. Mind Circles\u2019 newest partner, Big Chill<\/a> bar in King\u2019s Cross, actually contacted Okolo to offer their services first. \u201cWhen we discovered Mind Circles, reaching out just felt like the natural next step,\u201d Ad\u00e9la\u00efde, Big Chill Events and Sales Manager, said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve always had our ears to the ground. Events like Mind Circles are exactly what we live for. They bring brilliant new energy and brilliant new people, reminding us why we do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Perhaps the reason why these events are resonating so much with Londoners right now is indicative of something more.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A recent survey<\/a> found that one in four adults don\u2019t drink alcohol, and it\u2019s frequently reported that young people<\/a> are swapping nights out drinking for run clubs, health kicks and phone addictions. On social media, productivity appears to be at the forefront of the algorithm: your five-to-nine routine after your nine-to-five, and \u2018lifemaxxing\u2019 \u2013 a viral dedication to reaching your utmost potential.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The public\u2019s attitudes towards drinking are changing, and London\u2019s nightlife along with it. Paired with the price of a pint recently passing the \u00a310 mark<\/a>, it looks like alcohol-fuelled pub nights may be moving further down people\u2019s to-do lists, contributing to the hospitality industry\u2019s already dwindling flame.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Could events like Mind Circles and Pints of Knowledge be the sweet spot that ticks all the boxes, allowing both the hospitality industry and eager-to-optimise pub-goers to thrive?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Winchester seems to think so. She says that events like Pints of Knowledge add the value to a night out that young people are looking for. \u201cSocial media is constantly in our faces, especially with all the brain rot content and all the absolute rubbish on my Instagram feed. [People] want to get away from that and actually learn something useful\u2026so I think it\u2019s a really unique blend of being able to be social but carve out a really meaningful time to build connection.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The figures speak for themselves. The ONS recently reported<\/a> that more than a third of young people aged 18-24 visit pubs specifically for organised activities such as live music and quizzes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If the hospitality industry is going to survive, it\u2019s going to have to continue to adapt. Perhaps it\u2019s time to swap fruit machines and bar stools for PowerPoints and lecterns after all.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Featured image credit: Katie Hall <\/p>\n