- New research from Greene King reveals 14 million Brits (27%) feel disconnected from their community
- Nearly a third (29%) say the pub is the favourite place to connect with people
- 76% of people in the UK agree that food is the most important part of a social gathering
- British-staple fish and chips stands the test of time and crowned as favourite lunch dish
- Greene King is on a mission to bring the community back together one dish at a time by partnering with The Eden Project for The Big Lunch
In an age of digital distractions and busy schedules, more than a quarter of Brits (27%) say they feel isolated from their local community. However, recent research has found a simple way of rebuilding those lost connections… and it’s served with a side of mushy peas.
New research from the UK’s leading pub company and brewer, Greene King, reveals that the simple joy of heading to the local pub for a fish and chips lunch could be the ultimate remedy for community disconnection. The iconic British dish has been crowned the nation’s favourite lunch (32%), and the local pub remains our top place to socialise (29%), beating the likes of live music events and community spaces.
As a response to these findings, Greene King has partnered with the Eden Project for The Big Lunch (7–8 June) — a nationwide event designed to bring neighbours and communities together to connect and build friendships. In fact, when asked about the most important part of a social gathering, a staggering 76% of people agreed that food takes the top spot, highlighting just how connected the nation is through its shared love of food and its power to bring people together.
With this in mind, Greene King is on a mission to bring the community back together one dish at a time by supporting The Big Lunch, helping people rediscover the joy of shared moments, whether it’s with old friends or new faces from across the street.
Entering the second year of its partnership, Greene King will be hosting events across the UK in many of its 1,600 managed pubs, including give aways and community get togethers throughout June. To find out what is going on in your area, visit here.
Andrew Bush, Chief Experience Officer at Greene King, said: “Our research shows that 76% of the UK believes that food is the most important part of a social gathering. And with third of people choosing to socialise in the pub, it really does show the important role that both of these things can play in bringing people together.
“However, even surrounded by huge communities it’s easy to feel alone, which is why The Big Lunch is the perfect opportunity for connection – whether it’s with neighbours, old friends, or someone new. We encourage everyone to check out the website to see what’s happening at their local Greene King pub and join us for great food and even better company.”
Lindsey Brummitt, Eden Project Programme Director responsible for The Big Lunch, said: “This marks our second year partnering with Greene King for The Big Lunch, with their support again offering people a wonderful chance to get together, share delicious food and make new friends in our communities. Following last year’s success, which saw communities across the UK come together to share friendship, food and fun, we hope even more people join in The Big Lunch this year on 7 and 8 June!
“The Big Lunch is a fantastic way to reach out and make valuable social connections, especially given over a quarter of people in the UK (27%) report a sense of disconnection as Greene King’s recent research has discovered. With Greene King sharing our values, we’re excited to partner for another year of bringing people together to see the new friendships The Big Lunch sparks again this year!”
To find out what is going on in your area, visit: https://www.greeneking.co.uk/our-company/greene-king-for-good/closer-communities
-ENDS-
Notes to editors
For more information, please contact the team on GreeneKingSouth@grayling.com
About the survey: The research was conducted by Censuswide from1,000 respondents across the UK. Numbers are reflected of UK population that is 16 and over (55,190,347).
About Greene King
Greene King is the country’s leading pub company and brewer with c.2,600 pubs, restaurants and hotels across England, Wales and Scotland.
At Greene King we are passionate about delivering our purpose to ‘pour happiness into lives’. That’s for our customers, our team, our pub partners, our suppliers and the communities in which we live, operate and serve. Founded in 1799 with offices in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk and Burton on Trent in Staffordshire we employ around 40,000 people across the group with three divisions: Greene King pubs, Destination Brands & Ventures, and Brewing & Brands.
- Greene King pubs: Greene King pubs is our mainstream pub brand located where people and communities come together; pubs enjoyed in cities, towns and villages throughout the country with clear ambition to be “The Nation’s Most Loved Pub Brand”. Pub Partners runs our tenanted and leased pubs business and Hive Franchise pubs.
- Destination Brands & Ventures: Destination Brands is a portfolio of distinct brands which includes Hungry Horse, Chef & Brewer, Farmhouse Inns and Flaming Grill that bring friends and family together, delivering great service, quality and value for money for a range of eating out and drinking occasions. Venture includes Hickory’s, Premium (Crafted Pubs & Metropolitan Pub Company) and Hotels which operate autonomously of Greene King’s managed pub brands.
- Brewing & Brands covers the brewing sides of the business. Quality ales are brewed at the Westgate brewery in Bury St Edmunds and the Belhaven Brewery in Dunbar. Our industry-leading portfolio includes Greene King IPA, Old Speckled Hen, Abbot Ale, Ice Breaker and Belhaven Best and our premium beers, Level Head and Flint Eye, brewed for the modern-day drinker.
About The Big Lunch
The Big Lunch is an idea from the Eden Project made possible by the support of Pears Foundation and corporate partners Co-op and Greene King. It’s the UK’s annual celebration for neighbours and communities bringing millions of people together in a nationwide act of friendship on the first weekend in June every year since 2009. Her Majesty The Queen has been Patron of The Big Lunch since 2013.
For The Big Lunch follow us at @edencommunities: Instagram, Facebook, Threads, LinkedIn and for Eden Project news follow @edenprojectcornwall on Instagram, TikTok / @edenproject and LinkedIn.
To find out more about The Big Lunch go to www.TheBigLunch.com and for the Eden Project go to www.EdenProject.com
For more information, please contact the team on GreeneKingSouth@grayling.com
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