PubAid, the voice for positive change within the UK pub sector, is proud to announce the launch of the Positive PUBlicity Hub. This innovative platform, timed with World Mental Health Day, is dedicated to showcasing the vital role pubs play as lifelines in their communities. From funding grassroots sports to providing safe spaces for conversation and connection, the hub reveals the often-overlooked ways that pubs contribute to community well-being.
Recent research by Samaritans highlights pubs as essential social spaces, ranking second among the top places where Brits feel comfortable opening up. This World Mental Health Day, we’re celebrating pubs as more than just venues for socialising—they’re safe spaces where people find connection, comfort and support. Pubs provide a mental health lifeline for many, offering a unique form of support that few other establishments can replicate.
The Positive PUBlicity Hub serves as the home of positive pub stories, offering inspiration and practical ideas for publicans who wish to deepen their community impact. By featuring real-life stories, the hub shines a spotlight on the diverse ways that pubs make a difference—from food drives and charity events to support groups and sports sponsorships. It’s a resource to help publicans enrich their roles in the community and draw on the successes of others for inspiration.
Take, for example, Carole Davis, landlady of The Clifton Arms in Blackburn and winner of the 2024 PubAid Community Support Hero Award. Carole notes: “Working in partnership with our pub community, we help hundreds of people who just want to come down for a chat. Many deal with mental health issues and know they can talk to someone here. Some are too proud to access central services, so if we can’t help them directly, we’ll point them to someone who can.”
Carole’s story is just one of thousands. She is among 1,000 publicans nominated for the 2024 Community Pub Hero Awards, held in partnership with the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group, recognising publicans who go above and beyond to serve their communities. The Community Pub Hero Awards 2025 are now open for entry.
As Des O’Flanagan, Co-Founder of PubAid, explains: “Pubs are the backbone of our communities, yet their impact is too often overlooked. Our goal with the hub is to create the UK’s largest portal for positivity about pubs, serving as an inspiration across the UK and beyond. We want to remind everyone that pubs aren’t just places to go for a drink; they are vital lifelines to the communities they serve.”
Explore inspiring stories and insights on the Positive PUBlicity Hub today. If you’re a pub looking to share your own story, the hub allows you to upload stories of support and community impact. If you’re interested in joining the PubAid supporter community, you’ll be among over 40 pub companies, organisations and trade associations working to keep the positive voice for pubs alive.
Join us in celebrating and supporting the powerful impact of pubs across the UK!
