Pub fans celebrate visiting 18,000th pub after 30-year bar crawl

The group enjoyed lunch and a pint of Hobgoblin Gold to mark the milestone at the Saxon Penny, Lichfield last Friday.

The fans have made it their mission to travel around the country and visit much-loved pubs since the original group of 20 was founded in 1984.

Peter Hill, leader of the group, said it’s not about the beer but the outlet.

“People don’t understand that we’re not big beer drinkers. While we love the taste of beer, it’s all about the pub. That’s what started it; how good the pub was, how welcoming it is,” he said. 

“We’ve had a brilliant day, revisiting many memories and antidotes from along the way, looking through pictures and memorabilia that we’ve collected.”

Steven Baxter, manager at the Saxon Penny, said: “For the pub to have been chosen by this fantastic group of people is excellent.  We’ve had great fun having Peter and his friends here, not only have the guys had a great time, but so has the team and other customers, it’s created a lot of customer interest and conversation within the pub.”

For every thousandth pub they visit, the group go back to their roots and celebrate in a Banks’s (Marston’s) pub in honour of where it all started. 

The group keep a record of every pub they frequent, asking the landlord to sign the book, and always leave a calling card with the pub to signify their presence.  

Now with only six dedicated members, including Lionel Randall, Neil Henwood, Malcolm Maynard, Nathan Ellis, John Drew and Peter Hill, it is their intension to visit every pub in the West Midlands.

The BATs raise money for different charities along the way, including John Radcliffe hospital, Wrexham, Bangor, Rhyl and Cardiff children's hospitals, and ask each pub landlord they visit to donate £1 to a deserving cause.