The Big Pub Push in Gloucester, October 21-27, 2024

Gloucester’s Big Pub Push is back, bigger and better, to celebrate the city’s rich and varied venues.

Pubs are so much more than simply a place to drink, and the Big Pub Push – returning after a successful introduction in 2023 – seeks to shine a spotlight on our thriving pub and bar scene by encouraging regulars and visitors alike to toast what they offer.

Tap takeovers, special offers, live music and more are all being laid on for the week-long initiative and beyond, which starts on Monday, October 21. But at its heart is a call to celebrate what pubs represent to Gloucester – community hubs where people can find good beer, great food and sanctuary.

It’s led by Gloucester Business Improvement District (BID), in conjunction with the Campaign for Pubs, whose South West Regional Representative Alastair Kerr says, ‘The role of pubs in Gloucester, the county and indeed the country can never be understated or undervalued.

‘The continued success of the pubs in this city never ceases to amaze me, whether it be their staff, their selection of food and drink or indeed their wonderful regulars. Pubs are truly a sanctuary in an ever-uncertain world.’

A small selection of the local ales and ciders on offer at The Pelican Inn, Gloucester (Image: The Pelican Inn) Alongside established venues like The Pelican and The Fountain Inn, this year’s Big Pub Push also welcomes new and returning favourites to the city in the form of The Dick Whittington, in Westgate Street, and Dr Foster, in Gloucester Docks, which have reopened in recent weeks under new management teams. The all-new Thirsty Pine, in Brunswick Road, has taken over the former Jax nightclub site and transformed it into a Belgian bar with a vast array of beers to try, as well as a daytime cafe.

Gloucester BID manager Emily Gibbon says, ‘It’s so good to have new and returning pubs in Gloucester, which shows a real faith in the city’s hospitality scene.

‘We’ve got so many amazing businesses to celebrate who are doing incredible things and we’re delighted to be running the Big Pub Push again this year to do just that.’

Support your local hostelries with Gloucester's Big Pub Push (Image: Gloucester BID) Details of the businesses taking part in the Big Pub Push – plus their regular and special offers and events, as well as a map of the city’s pubs and bars – are included in a special publication available from participating venues. There are also Gloucester Civic Trust guided walks especially scheduled for this week, plus the Assize of Ale.