Will Hawkes
@willhawkes.bsky.social
Writes about food, beer, travel. Author of Telegraph’s 500 Best Pubs in England & @LondonBeerCity, monthly missive on pubs & beer. Fortnum and Mason Drink Writer of the Year 2021 & 2023
There is, incredibly, a new @londonbeercity.bsky.social tomorrow. It features Guinness' belated arrival in Covent Garden, London pubs owned by London breweries, the new venue for LCBF, The Lady magazine and lots more. Sign up here: www.willhawkes.net/london-beer-...
November 13, 2025 at 2:25 PM
There is, incredibly, a new @londonbeercity.bsky.social tomorrow. It features Guinness' belated arrival in Covent Garden, London pubs owned by London breweries, the new venue for LCBF, The Lady magazine and lots more. Sign up here: www.willhawkes.net/london-beer-...
I’m drinking Burning Sky’s Green Hop, which might be the best beer I’ve had all year
November 7, 2025 at 3:41 PM
I’m drinking Burning Sky’s Green Hop, which might be the best beer I’ve had all year
Pleased to see one of those out in the wild - or, to give it its proper name, East London (lol rofl). At the marvellous Pembury Tavern.
November 7, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Pleased to see one of those out in the wild - or, to give it its proper name, East London (lol rofl). At the marvellous Pembury Tavern.
Is it me or is this BBC bar chart awful? Why does it start from 0 years old?! People don't play Test cricket at the age of 0, not even Don Bradman. Goodness
November 5, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Is it me or is this BBC bar chart awful? Why does it start from 0 years old?! People don't play Test cricket at the age of 0, not even Don Bradman. Goodness
I’ve now tried the new Boddington’s. It’s fine. Presumably this is not the same beer elderly Mancunians have spent decades tearfully eulogising?
November 2, 2025 at 5:10 PM
I’ve now tried the new Boddington’s. It’s fine. Presumably this is not the same beer elderly Mancunians have spent decades tearfully eulogising?
And here's how (part of) it is going to look ...
October 29, 2025 at 2:52 PM
And here's how (part of) it is going to look ...
I walked past The Crown in Brum the other day. It now has pictures of Black Sabbath - a band which, to all intents and purposes, was born at the pub - on the windows. Not sure if this is a good or bad sign
October 24, 2025 at 10:05 AM
I walked past The Crown in Brum the other day. It now has pictures of Black Sabbath - a band which, to all intents and purposes, was born at the pub - on the windows. Not sure if this is a good or bad sign
Final stop. Absolute classic
October 22, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Final stop. Absolute classic
Glue Pot, Swindon. Delightfully calm after a train full of loud (and, I’ll be brutally honest, moderately smelly) schoolkids.
October 22, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Glue Pot, Swindon. Delightfully calm after a train full of loud (and, I’ll be brutally honest, moderately smelly) schoolkids.
Stop four: The Woodman, Brum. The landscape around is changed every time I visit
October 22, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Stop four: The Woodman, Brum. The landscape around is changed every time I visit
Off to Brum this morning, on London Northwestern. After LNER, Northern, Cross Country & TransPennine, it’s a solid value option - bland but hopefully reliable.
October 22, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Off to Brum this morning, on London Northwestern. After LNER, Northern, Cross Country & TransPennine, it’s a solid value option - bland but hopefully reliable.
Had this for my dinner last night. It’s nothing like the real deal but as part of the Tesco ‘aristocrat’ meal deal (£6), impossible to resist
October 22, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Had this for my dinner last night. It’s nothing like the real deal but as part of the Tesco ‘aristocrat’ meal deal (£6), impossible to resist
Third stop: Lion Tavern, Liverpool.
October 21, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Third stop: Lion Tavern, Liverpool.
Second stop: Stalybridge
October 21, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Second stop: Stalybridge
Defeatists: Nothing is ‘made in England’ anymore 😔
Stockton-on-Tees:
Stockton-on-Tees:
October 21, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Defeatists: Nothing is ‘made in England’ anymore 😔
Stockton-on-Tees:
Stockton-on-Tees:
First stop. Got a raffle ticket with my pint. Not sure what’s on offer, but imagine if I win!
October 21, 2025 at 1:47 PM
First stop. Got a raffle ticket with my pint. Not sure what’s on offer, but imagine if I win!
Live scenes from world’s oldest/longest-running rail passenger service
October 21, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Live scenes from world’s oldest/longest-running rail passenger service
200 years on from the first passenger trains, does the English rail network still live up to its original purpose: to facilitate pub crawls? Over the next two days I plan to find out 🫡
October 21, 2025 at 10:30 AM
200 years on from the first passenger trains, does the English rail network still live up to its original purpose: to facilitate pub crawls? Over the next two days I plan to find out 🫡
Last month's @londonbeercity.bsky.social is now online, featuring the LBA beer festival, various comings and goings, & what remains of the Firkin chain. Peace out www.willhawkes.net/blog/2025/10...
October 17, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Last month's @londonbeercity.bsky.social is now online, featuring the LBA beer festival, various comings and goings, & what remains of the Firkin chain. Peace out www.willhawkes.net/blog/2025/10...
August, what a time to be alive www.willhawkes.net/blog/august2...
October 13, 2025 at 4:23 PM
August, what a time to be alive www.willhawkes.net/blog/august2...
July, wow www.willhawkes.net/blog/july2025
October 13, 2025 at 4:11 PM
July, wow www.willhawkes.net/blog/july2025
There is a new @londonbeercity.bsky.social out today, featuring the King's Road and a pub called the Queen Charlotte. You can get it for free by signing up here: www.willhawkes.net/london-beer-...
October 10, 2025 at 12:45 PM
There is a new @londonbeercity.bsky.social out today, featuring the King's Road and a pub called the Queen Charlotte. You can get it for free by signing up here: www.willhawkes.net/london-beer-...
Improbably, perhaps, Bass has done a collaboration with trendy kitchen wear brand Service Works, launched last night at the Macbeth in Hoxton Street. It’s the latest step in AB InBev’s new promotional campaign for this legendary brand
October 9, 2025 at 6:41 AM
Improbably, perhaps, Bass has done a collaboration with trendy kitchen wear brand Service Works, launched last night at the Macbeth in Hoxton Street. It’s the latest step in AB InBev’s new promotional campaign for this legendary brand
June, which includes information about both Thamesmead and Lord's. www.willhawkes.net/blog/june2025
October 7, 2025 at 4:21 PM
June, which includes information about both Thamesmead and Lord's. www.willhawkes.net/blog/june2025
May, featuring a sickly Sloaney Pony. www.willhawkes.net/blog/may2025
October 7, 2025 at 4:08 PM
May, featuring a sickly Sloaney Pony. www.willhawkes.net/blog/may2025