The Thomas Becket Pub

07/10/2026

Britain’s pubs are worth up to £30 billion in wellbeing value to communities across the UK. But rising costs and high taxes are putting pressure on pubs that bring people together.

This Week of Action, join the campaign today and tell your MP to keep pubs open and pints affordable.

https://www.longlivethelocal.pub/letter 🍍

01/10/2026

Some birthdays are about the cake, the drinks and the celebrations. Others remind you just how lucky you are. ❤️

This photograph is very much the latter.

Of everyone pictured, all but two are relatively new friends, yet somehow, somewhere along the way, they’ve become something much more. Family.

They chose to spend my birthday with me, at the Thomas Becket, dressed to the nines, looking absolutely incredible, and making an already special day one I won’t forget in a hurry.

And right there, stealing the hearts of everyone, was little Tally. ❤️

I’m genuinely honoured to know her and her wonderful mum, Susanna. Some people come into your life and remind you that the most meaningful connections aren’t measured in years, but in the warmth, laughter and love they bring.

Running pubs has taught me that it’s never really just about the b**r, the food, the takings or the four walls. It’s about the people who walk through the door. The friendships that form over a pint, the laughter that fills a room, the familiar faces that become part of your everyday life, and the moments when you realise that somewhere along the line, your pub has become their pub too.

And perhaps, without even noticing, they’ve become your people.

To Tally & Susanna, Biba, Dominique, Yumyum & Jimjam, Thomas & Gemz, Kieran, Prya, Scott & Lucy, Bill, Mick and Dave the Brave Microwave — thank you.

Thank you for showing up, for making the effort, for dressing up, for the laughter, and above all, for making me feel so incredibly loved.

This is what community looks like to me.

Not customers. Not numbers. Not transactions.

People. Connection. Belonging.

And a whole lot of love.

I might run a pub, but the real privilege is being welcomed into the lives of the people who make it what it is.

My birthday, my pub, my people. My family.

Couldn’t ask for much more. ❤️

01/10/2026

Dry those pathetic, salty tears immediately.
The undisputed savior of your utterly miserable week, the legendary Ben Kelly, is roaring back onto the stage at The Thomas Becket tomorrow. And because God loves us—or at least tolerates us—he’ll be gracing us with his presence every single first Friday of the month until the sun undergoes inevitable gravitational collapse, expands into a fiery red giant, and incinerates this cosmic dumpster fire of a planet into dust.
So please, for the love of everything holy, do not spend another Friday evening lying in the fetal position on your living room floor, weeping quietly into a bowl of lukewarm microwave ramen because you are profoundly boring and nobody loves you. Your cat doesn’t even like you. It’s embarrassing.
Get off your sofa, drag your hollow shell of a body down to The Thomas Becket, and do what any self-respecting human disaster would do: pour absurd amounts of alcohol directly into your face while screaming along to 18th-century sea shanties with a room full of strangers who are also desperately avoiding their life choices.
The details you're legally required to care about:
Where: The Thomas Becket (the only place that understands your pain)
When: Tomorrow night & every first Friday until the literal apocalypse
Why: Because staying home alone is a crime against your own potential
Come drink too much, roar about wooden ships and scurvy, and pretend, just for a few glorious hours, that your life is on track. See you there, you beautiful wrecks.

26/09/2026

😂 COMEDY NIGHT AT THE THOMAS BECKET! 😂

TONIGHT from around 8pm, we’re turning up the laughs and turning down the seriousness!

🎤 Live comedy
🍺 Great ales
🍻 Proper pub atmosphere
😂 Plenty of laughs
📍 Thomas Becket, Canterbury

Round up your mates, grab a pint and settle in for an evening of live comedy in one of Canterbury’s proper old pubs.

8pm-ish start — come early, grab a drink and get yourself comfortable!

See you Saturday… and remember, heckling is optional. Laughing isn’t. 😉🍻

25/09/2026

😂 COMEDY NIGHT AT THE THOMAS BECKET! 😂

This Saturday from around 8pm, we’re turning up the laughs and turning down the seriousness!

🎤 Live comedy
🍺 Great ales
🍻 Proper pub atmosphere
😂 Plenty of laughs
📍 Thomas Becket, Canterbury

Round up your mates, grab a pint and settle in for an evening of live comedy in one of Canterbury’s proper old pubs.

8pm-ish start — come early, grab a drink and get yourself comfortable!

See you Saturday… and remember, heckling is optional. Laughing isn’t. 😉🍻

25/09/2026

Actress Daisy Edgar-Jones filmed 🎥 a promo for her new film, Sense and Sensibility in our Canonbury pub, The Marquess Tavern for Vogue 🥰

The team at Vogue were searching for a shooting location that oozes class, was timeless and in-keeping with the theme of the movie... so where else were they going to film?! 😏

Take a look at the promo - Daisy is in character as Elinor Dashwood throughout!

Sense and Sensibility hits cinemas TODAY! 🎬Why not pop into The Marquess Tavern to wash down your popcorn! 🍿🍷

!

22/09/2026

We're on board, are you?

Join thousands backing Britain's pubs and breweries.

www.longlivethelocal.pub ❤️🍺

21/09/2026

🍺 FOUR ALES. FOUR CHARACTERS. ONE VERY GOOD BAR.

At the Thomas Becket, we’ve got a soft spot for proper ale.

There’s something about a hand-pulled pint that fits this pub perfectly — old timber, brass pumps, a bit of history and a b**r that’s been given time to develop its character.

And we particularly love supporting Kent brewing, which is why our rotating selection will always look to bring some great local b**r onto the bar alongside some of the finest ales from further afield.

Here’s what’s currently on the pumps…

🍺 SAMBROOK’S WANDLE — 3.8%
A classic London Best Bitter from Sambrook’s. Wandle takes its name from the River Wandle beside the brewery and balances sweet, nutty malt with a light spicy bitterness. It’s also brewed using English hops and malt — a proper modern take on a traditional bitter.

🍺 WADWORTH 6X — 4.1%
An absolute classic. 6X has been brewed since 1923 and celebrated its centenary in 2023. It’s a full-bodied amber ale with malty, fruity character and a balancing hop note, finishing with that lovely lingering maltiness. There’s even a cracking bit of brewing folklore behind the name — the original b**r was 6% ABV, and the casks were marked with six Xs.

🍺 PURITY MAD GOOSE — 4.2%
For something a little brighter, Mad Goose brings a zesty, citrus-led character to the bar. Brewed with Crystal, Caragold and Wheat malts alongside Pilgrim, Centennial, Chinook and Cascade hops, it finishes smooth, refreshing and distinctly citrusy.

🍺 TONBRIDGE IPA — 4.8%
And here’s one we’re particularly pleased to have on the bar — brewed right here in Kent by Tonbridge Brewery. A classic IPA with a rich golden colour, fairly dry and biscuity malt character, followed by citrus, hard-fruit and subtle herbal hop notes. Kent brewing with plenty of personality.

Four different b**rs. Four completely different characters.

And that’s the joy of real ale.

We don’t want every pint to taste the same.

We want you to be able to stand at the bar, look at the pumps, ask “What’s that one like?” — and discover something new.

So whether you’re a lifelong real-ale drinker, a Kent b**r enthusiast, or someone who normally reaches for the lager…

Come and have a look at what’s on the pumps.

📍 Thomas Becket, Best Lane, Canterbury

Proper pub. Proper ale. Proper Kent spirit. 🍻

21/09/2026

This pub is a gem! 💎

The Wig & Mitre in Lincoln's Cathedral Quarter has reopened following a £100k investment. ⛪

Anne-Marie and Paul Balcomb have taken on the 14th century pub... "We’re thrilled to take control of such an iconic pub and can’t wait to meet all of our wonderful guests" ❤️

📷 Courtesy of Tory McTernan

17/09/2026

Welcome to The Buck Inn 🦌

New Management Partner Adrian McShane-Chapman has taken over the Thornton-le-Dale pub following a whopping £490k investment 🤑

🗨️ “I arrived in the UK 22 years ago from Australia, armed with just a backpack and no real plan... I’ve dipped in and out of hospitality over that time but the fire inside me to run my own pub burned bright.” - Adrian

If you're in Yorkshire, pay Adrian and his team a visit and check out this stunning pub for yourselves. 🤩

15/09/2026

Rory takes the keys to the refurbished Cross Keys pub in Nottingham! 🗝️

Our new Management Partner Rory Calladine has taken the reins at the popular city centre pub following a £100,000 investment.

🗨️"I was instantly drawn to the pub and as soon I discovered it was available in a partnership with Punch, I jumped at the chance." 🍍

Regular guests at The Cross Keys will instantly notice the pub’s traditional feel and special characteristics have been retained throughout but that a complete refresh has taken place. 💫

14/09/2026

🧼 Line Clean Day at The Thomas Becket! 🍺✨
There is nothing quite like that crisp, perfect first pint from freshly cleaned lines—and as Canterbury’s home of rotating real ales, we take absolute pride in serving you the best brews in town!
Elvis, our head of pub morale, was desperate to get his paws dirty today. While strict pub protocol means he’s strictly prohibited from actually helping with the line cleaning process, we let him supervise so he feels like he had a helping paw in keeping the pumps pristine. 🐶🍻
Come down tonight to enjoy a proper, freshly pulled pint! 🥂

13/09/2026

Thomas Becket life with star of the show Elvis the dog

Watch, follow, and discover more trending content.

13/09/2026

👑 THE KING, THE ARCHBISHOP & THE ROAST THAT ENDED THE FEUD 👑

History tells us King Henry II and Thomas Becket didn’t exactly see eye-to-eye.

There were arguments.
There were grievances.
There were questions of power, principle and the small matter of who was actually in charge.

Fast-forward a few centuries and we’ve finally found the solution:

Put them in a pub. Give them a roast. Add gravy.

Problem solved. 😂

This Sunday, Henry and Thomas are putting centuries of disagreement behind them and sitting down to the most powerful diplomatic summit Canterbury has ever witnessed:

🥩 Roast beef
🥔 Proper roasties
🥕 All the trimmings
🥧 Yorkshires big enough to settle a constitutional crisis
🍺 A pint to lubricate the peace negotiations

And honestly, if a roast dinner can bring a King and an Archbishop back together, there’s probably hope for you and your mate who’s still annoyed about what happened on WhatsApp in 2024.

Whether you’ve had a big Saturday night, watched your team produce something legally classified as football but emotionally classified as a crime, or simply woken up to that traditional Canterbury combination of grey skies and questionable life decisions…

Come and get some gravy on it.

Because arguments are temporary.

Roast potatoes are forever.

👑🤝⛪️
THE THOMAS BECKET — CANTERBURY
Sunday Roasts | 12–5pm

Come hungry. Leave reconciled.

11/09/2026

We have reopened the Keyworth Tavern following a quarter-of-a-million refurbishment 🔥

The Keyworth pub in Nottingham, run by our Management Partner John Francis, had been closed for 5 weeks while we tore out the bar, stripped the pub back and replaced everything with new, modern furnishings. 🤩

Great work by everyone involved in the transformation 🥂

07/09/2026

🍺 REAL ALE, PROPERLY DONE — AT THE THOMAS BECKET

There’s something wonderfully British about a proper pint of real ale.

At the Thomas Becket, we’re proud to celebrate that tradition — and even prouder to put some of the best b**rs from our corner of the world across the bar.

Our current rotating handpulls bring together four very different ales, with Kent and the surrounding South East playing a starring role:

🍺 Meddlesome Priest — 4.0%
Our own special house bitter, brewed exclusively for the Thomas Becket by Long Man Brewery. A proper pub bitter with a story of its own — created specifically for our historic Canterbury pub, just a stone’s throw from the Cathedral.

🍺 GADDS’ No.5 — 4.4%
From GADDS’ The Ramsgate Brewery, this is proper East Kent brewing. A beautifully complex bitter built around six different malts and four varieties of hops, bringing toffee malt, red berry and spicy blackcurrant notes. And yes — it’s brewed right here in Kent.

🍺 Indy’s Golden Ale — 4.0%
Another Kent local from Wantsum Brewery, based at St Nicholas-at-Wade. A bright, traditional English golden ale that brings a lighter, easy-drinking option to the lineup.

🍺 Three Acre Ruby Porter — 4.2%
A little darker. A little richer. And seriously drinkable. This award-winning porter brings deep coffee and cocoa flavours, balanced by a rounded bitterness. Three Acre describe it as a b**r designed to convert even the sceptics who think they don’t like dark b**r — and we can see why. 🖤🍫

And that’s what we love about real ale.

It has character. It has history. It has a sense of place.

From the breweries of Kent to the wider South East, we’re passionate about giving our guests b**rs with a story behind them — served properly, looked after properly, and enjoyed exactly as they should be.

So next time you’re in Canterbury, forget the ordinary pint.

Come and discover what’s on the pumps at the Thomas Becket. 🍻

Four ales. Four characters. One very good reason to visit the bar.

05/09/2026

We are now taking bookings for 2027 - and 2028, if you wanna be mega organised!

'A rich and powerful sound, that moves from blistering blues with a rock edge, to sassy soul and tracks with a down and dirty funk vibe. Offering classic and contemporary favourites, Stormy Sundays are an experienced four-piece band, based in Kent, who draw on a catalogue of music from Etta James, Beverley Knight, Amy Winehouse, Joe Cocker, Tina Turner, Solomon Burke, Chris Stapleton, Santana and Stevie Wonder.'

Get in touch now on [email protected] to check out our available dates...

03/09/2026

We're quite fond of it too, Prime Minister! The Dog House

28/08/2026

Our Publican Beth at The Beeswing Inn 2013 has raised circa £250K for charity 😍 so if you're in the area this weekend, pop in and enjoy the music, food and drink!

Well done Beth!! 🥳

The Beeswing in East Cowton is hosting its 13th ‘Glastonbury’ festival to raise money for end of life care at a nearby hospital.

27/08/2026

Newly married couple Gareth and Jamie Furness have take the over The Bay Horse Inn in Pickering. 🔔

The pub has received a £400,000 investment and Gareth says it has been very well received by locals. 😃

“We are seeing more locals returning to the pub, faces that haven't been seen here for many years and we are seeing them on a regular basis... The refurb has really put The Bay Horse Inn back on the map and firmly at the heart of the Pickering community.” ❤️

Well done to everyone involved in this brilliant transformation 👏