From independent publicans to major pub groups, Food, Drink & Hospitality Week 2026, The Pub Show's umbrella event, will bring together some of the most influential voices shaping the future of the UK pub and bar sector.

Taking place at Excel London from 30 March - 01 April 2026, the event will give publicans, bar owners and operators the opportunity to hear directly from peers and industry leaders addressing the realities of running successful venues in a rapidly changing landscape.

Sessions will explore the people, practices and ideas powering pubs and bars today. from leadership, culture and marketing to evolving consumer behaviour and the role of technology in supporting teams on the ground.

The programme will feature perspectives from major pub operators including Butcombe Group and Fullers, alongside independent publicans from across the UK. Bar-led businesses and hybrid operators will also be well represented, reflecting the increasingly diverse nature of the modern licensed trade.

There will be a strong line-up of pub-focused sessions, with operators and sector leaders sharing practical insight into the challenges facing the licensed trade. Highlights include empowering teams to create magic moments in pubs, drawing on new research from KAM and the British Institute of Innkeeping, alongside sessions examining what Britain’s pubs need to survive and thrive, and how publicans can respond to changing consumer behaviour, drinking habits and rising cost pressures.

Independent operators from community pubs including The Bull, Charlbury, The Three Horseshoes, Witney and The Squirrel, Duston will share firsthand experience from the front line, joined by senior voices from Butcombe Group, Fullers and leading bar-led businesses, offering a broad perspective on the future of pubs and bars across the UK.

Harry Jones, Head of Marketing at QVO Hospitality, says: “I’m looking forward to sharing insights into our people-first approach to marketing and how we use technology to support it. As tech advances at pace, it’s more important than ever for pub and bar operators to stay focused on who they’re talking to and how they connect with their guests. This session will offer practical, bite-size ideas to help operators build stronger real-world relationships that deliver genuine commercial impact.”

People and community will sit at the heart of the pub-focused content, echoing The Power of Us theme running across The Pub Show in 2026.

Steve Alton, CEO of the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII), says: “Pubs are incredibly special places, but what makes them so special is the people at their heart. Those friendly faces behind the bar, looking after their customers and communities in every town and high street across the UK.

"Pubs connect people, launch careers, provide safe spaces for all, and in many cases are the last remaining place for people from all walks of life to come together. At the BII, we support our members, but they are the ones who support their local communities every single day.”

Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), says: “Pubs have always been places where people come together, where conversations flow and communities take shape. The Pub Show’s theme of ‘The Power of Us’ captures that spirit perfectly, highlighting the vital role people play in shaping our sector. As an industry built on human connection, it’s a welcome reminder of the value of working together and celebrating our teams and the customers we serve every day.”

With practical, operator-led insight at its core, The Pub Show at Food, Drink & Hospitality Week 2026 offers a unique opportunity for publicans and bar operators to learn from one another, share experience and prepare for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Food, Drink & Hospitality Week 2026 takes place from 30 March - 01 April 2026 at Excel London.