Micropub

A Micropub is a very small, one room public house. The concept is attributed to publican Martyn Hillier and his pub, The Butchers Arms, in Herne, Kent, England.

A micropub according to the Micropub Association is defined as follows: "A micropub is a small freehouse which listens to its customers, mainly serves cask ales, promotes conversation, shuns all forms of electronic entertainment and dabbles in traditional pub snacks".

There may be differences between the pubs; they may or may not have a bar, they might serve beer straight from the cask or through hand pumps. But they are united in one philosophy. A simple pub with the focus on cask beer and conversation for entertainment. The basic premise is KIS, KIS – Keep It Small, Keep It Simple.

It became easier to set up a small independent public house following the passing of the 2003 Licensing Act, which became effective in 2005.

The original micropub, The Butchers Arms in Herne, Kent, was opened in 2005 by Martyn Hillier after spending several years as an off-licence. In 2009, Martyn gave a presentation to the AGM of Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), in Eastbourne, showing the simplicity of the micropub model and encouraging other people to follow his lead.

It proved to be a catalyst with the Rat Race Ale House in Hartlepool six months later and Just Beer Micropub in Newark-on-Trent opening August 2010, soon after followed by The Conqueror Alehouse the same year. Since then, there have been several more micropubs opening such as The Just Reproach in Deal, Kent and the Bake & Alehouse in Westgate-on-Sea, Kent with many more reported to be setting up as can be seen from the lists below.

In June 2012, the Micropub Association was set up by Stu Hirst and Martyn Hillier as a resource for other would-be micropubs, to give free advice on the setting up and running of a successful micropub.

Martyn said on his website:

“The Micropub Association will be a place where like-minded real ale lovers can share their micropub experiences. The Micropub Association will also be a platform for the new Micropubs to tell the beer drinking community about themselves. A successful Micropub is based upon good ale and lively banter and I want this to come across through the Micropub Association.

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Wikipedia