The the most popular pub names in the UK

Nowhere quite does it like the UK when it comes to pub culture – it’s arguably ingrained in our DNA and what makes us British. But that’s not to say pub culture isn’t changing and owners haven’t had it tough over the years (especially independents), so we’ve taken a look into how it’s shifting and why it’s happening. 

But first - the fun bit.

The most popular pub names in the UK  

Using data from Ukphonebook and a count of active pubs, we’ve put together the most popular pub names in the UK. Let’s take a look. 

‘Red Lion’ is the most popular UK pub name 

Have you got a local called Red Lion or perhaps you run one? The Red Lion takes first place as the most popular UK pub name with 517 active pubs. But where does its name come from? Many believe it’s from historic heraldry, specifically from James I of England. On his arrival to the country, he ordered the Red Lion of Scotland to be displayed on all buildings of public importance, including pubs! 

The top 10 most popular UK pub names

Royal pub names are on the increase 

The second most popular pub name in the UK is Royal Oak, with 472 active pubs across the country. In third place is the Crown and Crown Inn with 446 active pubs. The Kings Arms has also made a comeback in recent years – perhaps aligning with the King’s coronation and renewed interest in the royals.  

Pubs named after Prince George are also becoming more popular, this could be due to the “Prince George effect” – where Prince George’s royal influence can be seen to drive up demand and popularity. 

‘Inns’ are making their way out 

What names are ‘in’ and ‘out’ shift over the decades and this is no different when it comes to pubs. While pubs like ‘The New Inn’ are still popular, the name is decreasing in popularity. Business owners setting up new pubs are deciding to choose more digitally appealing names that make them stand out – it seems the wilder, the better. 

“Inns”, traditionally included rooms for people to stay, like B&Bs. While pubs with rooms are still around, they are not as popular as they once were, due to Airbnbs, hotels and other accommodation options. A hotel style service is also costly to run for owners, on top of the costs of running a pub!  

The most popular UK pubs on Google Maps in 2025 

Using Official Google Maps and review data, we’ve gathered the list of top 10 pubs in the UK.  

The Standing Order in Edinburgh came in first place, with 11,599 reviews. In second place, is the Velvet Coaster in Blackpool with 11,145 reviews. See the full breakdown below: 

Anchor, Bankside is London’s top pub  

Ranking 4^th overall, Anchor Bankside is the top entry for London, with a 4.2 Google Rating and 10,461 reviews. There were 5 entries from London in the list –  are we surprised? Many Londoners live for the after work drinks. 

Waxy O’Connors is the most popular independent UK pub 

Coming in at 7^th, this vibrant pub in Soho, London is the UK’s most popular independent pub with a Google rating of 4.5 and 8,779 reviews. Many pubgoers mention its unique ‘labyrinth-esk’ interiors and warm atmosphere. With tough competition against Wetherspoons, it’s great to see an independent pub make the list. 

UK pubs with historical features are more popular 

When looking deeper into the reviews, we start to see some patterns. Pubs with real, rich history and character interiors like banks and theatres are popular in the UK. It’s clear that what makes a UK pub popular is not just the quality of the pint – but the experience and ambience is just as important.  

UK pubs have declined roughly a third since the 1990s

The sad, but harsh truth is UK pub culture is declining, fast. According to the British Beer and Pub Association, in 1990 there were around 63,500 UK pubs - but has dropped to around 45,000 in 2024 – that’s a 29% decrease in 34 years. The graph below shows the number of pubs that have closed over the last 25 years using data from Statista.

But what’s making our pubs close the door to punters? 

There are several theories.

Rising rates and tax are making it tougher to survive 

Increasing alcohol duty rates, business rates and Employers’ National Insurance hikes from 13.8% to 15% have caused stress for some small pub owners over the last few years, with increasing costs coming from every angle. Like everything else, the cost of living and running a business has increased, meaning operational costs have gone up, squeezing margins that are already tight for so many independent pub owners.  

There is also tough competition from pub chains, who can often undercut independent pubs on price. 

An increasing awareness on health and more sobriety 

Over the last decade, there has been a change in consumer habits, with drinking alcohol becoming less popular. According research by YouGov in partnership with Portman Group, over a third of UK drinkers (38%) are now consuming low and no alcohol alternatives semi-regularly. Even though low or no alcohol options are increasing in pubs, many may prefer just not to go. 

A cultural shift in ‘going out culture’ 

While ‘wet pubs’- those that only serve drinks decreased 41% between 2001-2019, according to ONS, there has been a recent surge in eateries, especially large ones like food and drinks courts where people can choose from a variety of venders. This means more choice for consumers, but it’s bad news for the local pubs along our high street.  

Perhaps the only way to save our declining pub culture is to try to support them when possible. 

Supporting our pubs with business basics 

At Bionic, we champion small business owners and we genuinely help to arrange their business basics like energy, insurance, broadband and finance. Head to our guides to find out more or get in touch today if you need any support. 

^Methodology: 

^{We used Google's list of most popular pubs.  Google's ranking was based on two key metrics:} 

1. ^{Number of reviews - Total volume of customer reviews each pub had received} 
2. ^{Average rating scores - How many times venues were rated 4 stars or above} 

^{Venues were ranked based on the number of reviews they had received and how many times they had been rated four stars or above. This methodology has some inherent biases:} 

• ^{Favours quantity over quality of reviews} 
• ^{Gives advantages of pubs in high-traffic areas} 
• ^{May not reflect actual pub quality, just online engagement} 
• ^{Newer establishments at disadvantage regardless of quality} 

^{The ranking system essentially measured "most reviewed and well-rated" rather than "objectively best," which explains why some exceptional independent pubs didn't make the cut.} 

^{For the most popular names we used the used names in live business listings from UKphonebook.com.}

_{Data from Statista was used to show the decline in pubs. The estimated figure for 2025 is from the (BBPA) British Beer & Pub Association.}