New book argues pubs are essential, inclusive gathering spaces

A new book, Pubs for the People, defends the humble public house against the idea that it’s a relic. Amit Singh and Sivamohan Valluvan weave Singh’s family history, including his father founding London’s first Desi pub, with a travelogue that runs from a Shoreditch hotspot to an izakaya-inspired Eccles pub run by migrants from Hong Kong. The authors say pubs should have a central place in contemporary Britain.

They argue private equity, yuppie gentrifiers and culture-war voices use the pub as a prop for patriotism, rather than a community space. They suggest life today can feel lonelier and harsher, but pubs offer a more equal, sociable, and multiracial England. Pubs for the People is published this month by Manchester University Press. Valluvan is a sociologist at the University of Warwick and Singh at University College London. Matthew Curtis, editor of Pellicle, says the book captures the spirit of the British pub and offers a crucial perspective on its continued existence.

Source: Beer Today https://beertoday.co.uk/2026/10/10/pubs-for-the-people-1026/