17 million Brits prioritise living near a local pub over school catchment area

Brits are being encouraged to officially recognise their local as their ‘second home’ as new research shows a third (31%), equivalent to 17 million people, are now choosing a local pub over traditional location drivers, like school catchment area.

According to the research, which was commissioned by Greene King pubs, two in five (41%) Brits say they would pay up to 20% more to live near a great local, while one in three (34%) now see it as the ultimate selling point of an area.

To launch it’s ‘Second Home Scheme’, Greene King pubs has appointed actor Larry Lamb as its ‘property expert’. As a Greene King pubs regular, Lamb stars in a new video touring pubs across the UK and showcasing what Brits could enjoy from their ‘second home’. – from welcoming bar spaces to lively expansive beer gardens that feel just like an extension of the home.

With one in three (34%) already describing their local pub as their “second home”, pubgoers can make it official by signing up to the Second Home Scheme and be in with the chance of winning free beer for a year, including pints of Level Head, via the Greene King pubs website here: https://www.greeneking.co.uk/home-at-your-local.

Larry Lamb, Greene King pubs’ Property Expert, says, “People have always thought the big selling points of a location are things like transport links, a nice park and good schools. Whilst all of those still matter, for me – and plenty of others – the local pub is just as important. That’s where the good stuff happens. It’s where you catch up with friends, have a proper laugh, and switch off at the end of the day.

“And let’s be honest, it’s more than just ‘a pub’. It’s where you feel completely at home. For lots of us, it already is a second home… now we’re just calling it what it is.”

Younger adults are leading the shift, as 61% of 27–34-year-olds claim they are more loyal to their local than their barber (55%) or favourite takeaway (57%). Among 22-25 year olds, pubs are valued above green space, with 70% willing to pay more to live near a pub, compared to 66% for a park.

It is also reshaping how people live, with three in 10 (30%) willing to accept a longer commute and 28% prepared to sacrifice property size to be within walking distance of their local pub.

Andrew Gallagher, Brand and Marketing Director at Greene King Pubs said: “We want every customer who walks through our doors to feel like they are being welcomed home and are a part of something that matters. Whether it’s a birthday celebration, dinner with friends, a quick drink after work or a place to watch the football, pubs are places that bring people together.

“The ‘Second Home Scheme’ is our way of recognising that, giving people the opportunity to officially celebrate their local and the role it plays in bringing communities together, as well as rewarding them with the chance to enjoy it even more.”

A warm, cosy atmosphere is what truly makes a pub feel like home for Brits (44%), with simple pleasures close behind, from enjoying a drink in the garden (38%) to British classics like Sunday roasts and fish and chips (36%).