Tiny Pub, Mighty Mission: Vocation Brewery Hits the Road in Support of Pubs as Brits Demand Bolder Beer Choices
- Guild Secretary
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
Vocation Brewery unveils pint-sized pub, The Wandering Inn, setting out to rally support for local pubs under pressure and remind people how great UK beer and pub culture is
Embarking on a nationwide journey, the pint-sized pub is bringing bolder choices back to Britain’s beer scene, offering a taste of Vocation’s bold and flavourful beers to passers-by
A new ‘Beer Audit’ highlights that consumers are frustrated by a lack of choice and calls for a ‘great tap liberation’ and a bolder beer selection
Drinkers call for more independent and distinctive options, with many finding big-brand beer “uninspiring”
Almost three-quarters (74%) of Brits say big breweries are overrepresented in pubs and 79% say they would go to the pub more often if there was a better selection
More than eight in ten (81%) would pay slightly more for a pint if pubs offered more variety on the taps
Hebden Bridge, UK: 11 December 2025 — The classic British pub has been given a miniature makeover, as Vocation Brewery launches The Wandering Inn – a pint-sized travelling tavern designed to celebrate Britain’s love of bold and flavourful brews, while also rallying support for local pubs under pressure.
Standing 5’ 5” tall, the functional pub popped up in Manchester, serving its distinctive pints to passers-by. The mobile pint-sized pub marks the start of a journey, bringing the best of independent British brewing to locations nationwide.
The launch coincides with the release of Vocation Brewery’s Beer Census, a major study of 2,000 adults that reveals changes in how, when and why we drink. Among its standout findings, the study revealed that 74% of Brits feel major brewers are overrepresented in pubs, with 79% agreeing that a wide range of beers on tap would make them visit their local more often.
Nearly 70% of drinkers say they have discovered a new favourite beer or style in the past 12 months, with more than eight in ten (81%) saying they would pay slightly more for a pint if pubs offered more variety on the taps.
Elsewhere, the beer audit discovered that despite the rise of hybrid working and ‘Thirsty Thursdays’, Friday remains the biggest day for a post-work pint. With over half (54%) saying flexible working hasn’t changed their pub routine, the classic Friday night pint remains in top spot.
On average, Brits now visit the pub just 4.1 days a month – a stark reminder of the challenges facing the hospitality sector. More than one in five (21%) say they are drinking less, which grows to almost a quarter (24%) among 18-24 year-olds.
A growing number of drinkers say the big-brand experience feels tired, with 30% of drinkers saying mainstream lines are predictable and uninspiring. Nearly 44% of 25-34 year olds say they’d visit pubs more often if they could try new and distinctive brews, suggesting that curiosity and discovery are now important influencers in the choice of the modern pint.
Gail Lumsden, Chair & CEO at Vocation Brewery, said: “The findings show Britain’s beer lovers want more choice, more flavour, more adventure – and so do we. Beer should be an experience – something that engages you, stays with you, and invites you back. At Vocation, we’ve always believed in bold flavour, and it’s great to see drinkers calling for more discovery and excitement.”
As one of the UK’s most successful independent breweries, Vocation is using its new mobile pint-sized pub, The Wandering Inn, to bring the spirit of discovery to various locations across the country – starting this winter and continuing throughout next year. The pint-sized pub made its debut in Manchester this month, serving bold pours to delighted passers-by captured in a short video that ends with a call to ‘support your local’.
In the run up to Christmas, Vocation Brewery are also spreading some festive cheer on Instagram – asking people to nominate the friends, family and familiar faces they’d most like to share a bold pint with for the chance to win a free bar tab at their local pub.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
● Click here to download high-resolution images & video
● Click here to view the unveiling of the Wandering Inn, and its debut appearance in Manchester
● Research conducted by 3Gem via an independent online general population survey of 2,000 UK adults, aged 18+, on behalf of Vocation Brewery in between 28th November and 2nd December 2025
About Vocation Brewery:
Bold and flavourful beers for the many.
Vocation Brewery was founded in 2015 by John Hickling, who left his job to follow his calling and brew the big, flavourful beers that he loves.
From its humble beginnings in an old chicken shed high up on a hill, 1000 feet above sea level, Vocation Brewery has grown strongly and now brews over 10 million pints a year which are sold nationally in the UK and throughout the world.
Brewing a breadth of beers, including exemplary IPAs, pale ales, stouts, and barrel aged beers, Vocation Brewery crafts distinctive beers with interesting aromas and flavours that invite conversation.
The UK-based brewery has recently unveiled a brand refresh, underpinned by Vocation Brewery’s belief that great tasting, quality beer should be for the many and for every occasion.
Alongside filling fridges across the globe, beer lovers can enjoy Vocation Brewery’s craft beers in numerous bars across the country, including its very own bar, Vocation & Co. With locations in Hebden Bridge, Halifax, Sheffield and Manchester, Vocation & Co acts as an extension of its brewery, creating a warm social space for local communities to enjoy great tasting beer.
Vocation Brewery’s range of beers are available to purchase directly from its website, and are stocked in grocery, high-street and online retailers, including Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda, Morrisons and Amazon.
For more information, please visit www.vocationbrewery.com and/or follow them on Instagram (@vocationbrewery).
For more information, please contact:
Fiona Taylerson
Fairways Communications
Tel: +44 (0)7775 926903
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