Brits ‘at their happiest’ in a pub garden

14-Aug-2023 - Last updated on 14-Aug-2023 at 13:45 GMT

Pub garden fan: Warner’s Distillery and TV presenter and wildlife enthusiast Jules Hudson

Despite almost constant rain across the UK for most of July and August, a survey has discovered Brits are happiest when relaxing in a pub garden.

Some 40% of those quizzed on behalf of pubco and brewer Greene King’s Chef & Brewer Collection pubs arm named the pub garden as their “ultimate happy place”.

The research, which was carried out in July, also discovered the average UK pubgoer will visit a pub garden between four and five times throughout August.

Chef & Brewer said country pubs are by far the nation’s favourite type of pub to visit at this time of year, with almost half of UK adults (48%) selecting them as the best place to enjoy food and drink over summer.

Warm weather tops poll

Brits’ favourite things about pub gardens during the summer months are spending time there in warm weather (55%), enjoying a drink (54%) and relaxing with friends and family (51%).

When it comes to what to drink, over a quarter of people (26%) said gin is the ultimate summer tipple, with the variety of new flavours available a key factor in its increasing popularity.

Surprisingly, almost one in 10 drinkers (9%) mix gin with cola, an additional 9% have it with ginger ale, while 8% even enjoy a gin with cranberry juice.

Chef & Brewer Collection, which comprises 152 pubs in idyllic countryside locations, has partnered with Warner’s Distillery and TV presenter and wildlife enthusiast, Jules Hudson, this summer to celebrate the nation’s love of pub gardens and the Great British countryside.

Hub for rural communities

Hudson said: “The atmosphere you find in a country pub is like nothing else, with them often acting as a hub for generations of rural communities.

“So often located in quaint villages or idyllic countryside surroundings, country pubs are made extra special by their connection to the great outdoors.”

According to respondents’ answers to the OnePoll survey of 2,000 UK adults in July 2023, the UK’s favourite gin flavours are regular (16%), pink (7%) and rhubarb (7%) while top mixers include tonic (42%), lemonade (25%) and orange juice (10%).