Announcing the initiative on social media on Thursday 16 April, Lord said he would put £2,500 behind the bar of a Greater Manchester pub on Sunday 3 May at 4pm.
Lord, who served as Greater Manchester’s night-time economy adviser from 2018 to 2025, asked his 60k Instagram followers to nominate a pub in the city, adding he would announce the chosen venue ahead of the bank holiday Sunday.
In his video, the Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA) chair said pubs are under more pressure now than they were during the pandemic, particularly community pubs.
“You’ve probably heard me continuously talking about how bad things are right now in hospitality; things are really, really severe”, he continued.
Spreading cheer
“My biggest concern is the loss of our community, pubs.
“This is where the elderly meet their friends. It’s where relationships are made. We talk to each other, we gossip, we talk about worries, we share things together.
“I don’t have a magic wand, and the Government are not listening to this sector. But what I do want to do is spread a little bit of cheer.”
This comes as one pub a day was found to have closed last year, according to research from global tax firm Ryan, with more than 2,000 venues lost between 2020 and 2025.
In addition, the late-night sector has seen a third of nightclubs close since 2017, NTIA data shows.
Continued pressure
Moreover, recent figures from Access Hospitality estimated operators were left with an average profit of just 13p on a pint of beer.
On top of this, the sector has continued to face pressure from rising taxes, wage costs and energy bills as well as soaring fuel costs, which have disrupted the supply chain and hit footfall in pubs.
Voices from across the sector have persistently campaigned for targeted Government support for hospitality.
While the Government has revealed its plans to reform business rates, as pledged in the Labour manifesto, industry leaders have urged Parliament to deliver meaningful and timely action to resolve the issue.
This week, celebrity chef Tom Kerridge also urged the Government to reduce VAT for hospitality, telling LBC’s Tonight With Andrew Marr that operators are facing “incredibly high costs”.
