The Calthorpe Arms on Gray’s Inn Road is a fairly atypical central London pub. With its patterned red carpets, brass fittings, leather bar stools, pool table, and Christmas tinsel still hanging in early February, it feels very much like a “local,” though on a Thursday evening it’s busy with the after-work crowd.
It’s the fifth time Niall Walsh, who works nearby and runs the Proper Boozers Instagram account, has visited in recent months. “It’s just off the beaten track, but easy to get to,” Walsh says over a pint of Harvey’s. “You can get a real, authentic pub experience.”
About 366 pubs closed last year, and ever-increasing costs are making it increasingly difficult to run this most British of institutions. But a viral social media post can help. Last year, the Wheatsheaf in Romford, London, took to social media to thank two accounts, Proper Boozers and London Dead Pubs, for featuring them: “The exposure it’s brought our family-run pub has been incredible.”
Thankfully for pubs, there are now countless accounts promoting their establishments, and Instagram has become a hotbed of pub content. London Pub Explorer is strong on social history; London Pub Map is attempting to drink at every London pub, and the Great British Pub Crawl is doing the same across the country. Those with niche interests will find something, too. Lydia Wood Drawings is sketching every London pub; Peaks and Pubs combines outdoor activities with pints; and Beautiful Boozers emphasises aesthetic pleasures. Equally aesthetically pleasing, Egg Chip Bean Pint simply posts a picture of a plate of egg, chips, and beans alongside a pint from a nearby pub. My algorithm is now 90% pub content.
Walsh was born in London to Irish parents who managed pubs in London and Essex. “My playroom was the bar,” he says. “The characters fascinated me: they were some of the most interesting people I’ve ever met.” His father warned him not to follow suit, but Walsh found another way to immerse himself in pubs: by vlogging about them.
Walsh created Proper Boozers in 2019, at first visiting a few pubs a week, having a few pints, and “getting a feel for the place.” He’d post about those he liked and soon amassed 9,000 followers. After a hiatus, he began investing more time into the account in 2024, and now boasts more than 87,000 followers.
Jimmy McIntosh runs another popular Instagram account. His motivation began during lockdown, when lengthy walks took him past countless closed or demolished sites. McIntosh chose to document the continued decline through his page, London Dead Pubs, but by 2024 switched to “live pubs, which are a lot less depressing than dead ones.”
Like Walsh, McIntosh, who wears a trademark beige trench coat, focuses on traditional wet-led boozers, many with patterned carpets and elegant banquettes. “Pubs can and should be very glamorous places,” he says, pointing to his local, the Prince Edward in Holloway. “It’s beautiful and has more wit and warmth within its Regency striped walls than a million dull, burger-scented chain pubs put together.”
McIntosh usually identifies pubs that are visually appealing or have an interesting story, writes a script—which may feature tidbits on gentrification or local closures—then captures footage at the pub. The vast majority have been receptive: “We’ll never slag anyone off unduly, so most landlords are quite pleased to have their places shown in a positive light.”
Ironically, one of McIntosh’s most successful posts was a takedown of BrewDog Waterloo. “Probably,” he says, “because it’s the only video where we’ve given somewhere a really good kicking. It deserved it, though. It really was less a pub and more an infantilised crèche for podcasters and middle managers.”Mostly self-funded, aside from a couple of past beer advertisements, McIntosh has had several landlords offer him free pints or cash in exchange for a review, but he has always refused. He recently started a Patreon page, hoping to fund trips to pubs across the country.
Those Pub Guys have taken a different approach. Started by four school friends in Surrey and West Sussex, their page grew out of group bike rides in the countryside. They are less interested in traditional old pubs and more intrigued by a pub’s history or quirky features—on the day we spoke, they were about to visit a pub in Guildford with an attached rage room. “We’ve tried to visit as many pubs as possible that claim to be the oldest in the country,” says Jake Tuppen. “Anything with a cool history, like Winston Churchill used to drink there, that’s what gets us excited to go and film.”
Their style is lighthearted, usually featuring one or two of the group speaking on camera inside the pub—which requires getting permission from the owners in advance. Their trips have taken them to places like the Skirrid Inn in Wales, where legend says 200 people were hanged (rope marks are still visible on a wooden beam), and the Viaduct Tavern in St Paul’s, central London, which has old jail cells in its cellar. With a strong focus on rural pubs, especially in the Home Counties and the southwest, they plan to visit mainland Britain’s most remote pub, the Old Forge in Inverie, in the coming weeks. They have done paid posts with pubs but hope to monetize their account in the future through merchandise and experiences like quiz nights.
Walsh says most pubs he features earn “proper boozer” status. What makes a pub proper? It might have velvet curtains, worn wooden or carpeted floors, ideally be owner-operated with a strong local crowd. Food is fine as long as it’s not the main focus, and sports are optional. Bonus points for being cash-only, a dying breed. “It’s quite a personal thing; I’m no arbiter of what people define as proper,” says Walsh, who never appears in his own videos.
For many, pubs are an extension of the living room, and customers might not want someone waving a camera in their face. Yet Walsh and McIntosh have rarely faced pushback. Those Pub Guys, whose approach is more intrusive, had one run-in with a heavily intoxicated group at Britain’s highest pub, the Tan Hill Inn in the Yorkshire Dales, but they too have mostly been met with friendliness. “We’re not the best at remembering lines,” Tuppen says, “so we often do quite a few takes. You’ll get people heckling, laughing.”
Predictably, backlash comes online. Some call Walsh’s boozers a “dump”; Those Pub Guys receive comments about their “cringiness.” “We’ve been called the c-word a few times, but we just look past it,” says Ben Foster, one of the members.
None of the people I spoke to consider themselves influencers (“content creators” is the preferred term), but each acknowledges a desire to support Britain’s struggling pub industry. “I don’t see myself as a crusader,” Walsh says, “but I’d like to think people see pubs in their local area they haven’t been to, maybe ones they thought looked intimidating, and feel encouraged to go in.” His most-viewed video, about the Palm Tree in east London, received 1.2 million views—surely inspiring some of those viewers to visit.
McIntosh is motivated by highlighting pubs that “don’t get the love they deserve.” They might be on the outskirts, in unfashionable areas, or overlooked by the countless “best of” lists online. “I always find they’re the places where the magic really happens, and also the places most under threat of closure,” he says. “If we can convince even a handful of people to go to them, and…””If it helps keep them in business, I’d be happy,” he says. A few landlords have told McIntosh that business has surged since his videos, though it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why. “I think it’s more about a shift away from the minimalist, fluorescent-lit gastropubs and back toward traditional pubs. You can see it in the places young Londoners are going now—like the Army & Navy in Dalston, the Blue Posts on Berwick Street, the King’s Head on Blackstock Road, and the Dog & Bell in Deptford.”
The Army & Navy, for instance, is thriving. When Walsh first visited, it had “mobility scooters parked outside, worn carpets, and a very bare-bones interior.” Now, it’s one of London’s trendiest spots. Does he worry about fueling gentrification? “I’m very aware of the revival of these kinds of pubs in pop culture, on social media, and with the whole Guinness trend,” he admits. “That’s naturally sparked an interest in classic old-man pubs. But a busy pub is still better than an empty building.”
After his latest trip to the Calthorpe, Walsh is working on a full review, set to go up in early March. For me, it’s another hidden gem—like the Crown on Holloway Road or the Eagle in Homerton—that I found through social media and have added to my regular rounds. A proper pub, indeed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Where the magic really happens the influencers championing and helping to save Britains classic pubs
Beginner General Questions
1 What is Where the magic really happens
Its a phrase that captures the movement of social media influencers and content creators who are using their platforms to highlight celebrate and support Britains traditional pubs
2 Why do classic pubs need saving
Many are facing closure due to rising costs changing social habits competition from chains and development pressures They risk losing their unique character history and role as community hubs
3 How can an influencer actually help save a pub
By showcasing its unique atmosphere history food and drinks to a large online audience they can drive new customers through the door increase its profile and create a sense of urgency and appreciation that can deter closure
4 Isnt this just free advertising for the pubs
Its more than that Its advocacy These influencers are often passionate locals or heritage enthusiasts who frame the pub as a vital piece of cultural heritage not just a business Their authentic content can resonate more deeply than traditional ads
5 Can you give me an example of an influencer doing this
Yes accounts like thepubhistorian properpubpics or theinfatuationlondon all play a role in this ecosystem
Advanced Practical Questions
6 What makes a pub a classic or worthy of this attention
Its often a combination of unspoiled traditional interiors a strong sense of community independent ownership historical significance and serving real ale or quality locally sourced food and drink
7 What are the biggest challenges these influencers face
Balancing honest reviews with support avoiding making a pub so popular it loses its original charm and ensuring their content leads to sustainable support not just a onetime visit
8 How can I as a regular person help beyond just following these accounts
Visit and spend money at these pubs Use the SupportYourLocalPub hashtag leave positive reviews online attend
