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Edinburgh Fringe show backs hospitality
Comedy duo the Thinking Drinkers will be taking a show that celebrates ‘the pleasures of the pub’ to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
The ‘booze-ical’ will see discerning drinking duo Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham express their ‘love for the local’ while also serving up, and tasting, a selection of drinks brands, including fellow British comedian Ricky Gervais’ Dutch Barn Vodka, BenRiach 10-year-old single malt whisky, and The Lost Explorer Mezcal.
Sandham explained: “The Booze-ical was inspired by the daily battle pubs are currently facing to survive and thrive. Hit by a combination of Covid, rising energy costs, the cost-of-living crisis and crippling business rates, we thought what they clearly need is a musical – written and performed by two people who can’t sing.”
McFarland added: “The number of British boozers is shrinking like a crisp packet in a roaring pub fire and, according to some rough sums we scribbled down on a beer mat, in six years they will be outnumbered by soulless coffee chains and Greggs. It’s time to rise up against the pastry-archy.”
Earlier this month it was reported that UK pub and bar insolvencies are up by 30%.
The acclaimed entertainers will be urging their audience to sign a petition demanding that all work lunches in pubs and restaurants become 100% tax-deductable, so long as there’s ‘a decent drink’ on the receipt.
Sandham said: “Ben and I first met when we worked on a pub trade newspaper and, frankly, most of our best – and only – work was done over a pint at lunchtime.
“It’s heartbreaking that today’s generation of workers seem to rarely even get out of the office, let alone enjoy a cheeky craft ale and a cheese toastie courtesy of HMRC (His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs) to set them up for the afternoon.”
“Our last show put us in The Guinness Book of World Records for masterminding the World’s Biggest Pub Quiz, so it’s clear that our global influence is now huge,” McFarland added. “We have high hopes that this show will tip the balance for pubs. Bringing back lunch at the local is just the start – we want to lead the nation back to the boozer.”
Thinking Drinkers: The Booze-ical will run from 31 July to 25 August at the Underbelly, Edinburgh, with discounted tickets available to hospitality workers.
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