Pub chain offers free rainy day pints

In a delightfully damp nod to British meteorological unpredictability, Greene King, the venerable pub chain with over 1,300 locations across the UK, has once again declared that April showers bring... pints. Free ones, no less. Their popular promotion, When It Rains, We Pour, is back for a second consecutive year, offering pub-goers a refreshing reward for enduring the drizzle. From 3 to 10 April 2025, a total of 100,000 free pints are set to be poured in Greene King pubs nationwide. The only requirement? A bit of rain and a touch of British pluck.

The Sipping Forecast

This year, the campaign has taken a playful twist with The Sipping Forecast, a tongue-in-cheek meteorological update fronted by actor Larry Lamb. In a charmingly windswept film, Lamb broadcasts live from The Boat House pub in Wallingford, navigating gusts and showers with a stoic pint in hand. He returns to host a live weather segment at precisely 12:48pm on 3 April via Instagram, tracking the heavens’ every drop. Once rain is detected — via clever sensors installed in six trigger locations including London, Glasgow, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol and Wallingford — the offer is activated. For 48 hours, customers may simply walk into any Greene King pub, approach the bar with the confident refrain, “It’s raining, can I have a free pint?” and receive a complimentary pint of their choice.

One per person, per rainy day

Fairness is the order of the day. Each pub-goer is entitled to one free pint per day, with a hand stamp ensuring the rain-induced generosity remains equal across the bar. As ever, patrons are encouraged to keep tabs on Greene King’s official Instagram for timely weather alerts and the crucial moment when the offer goes live. “We can’t fix the weather,” says Zoe Bowley, MD at Greene King, “but we can fix you the perfect drink. We wanted to celebrate our pub gardens as warm, welcoming and inclusive spaces where communities can gather with a good time almost guaranteed, whatever the weather.” Following last year’s campaign — fronted then by footballer Peter Crouch — this year’s iteration once again aims to boost footfall during the quieter spring season. As Britain inevitably reaches for the brolly, Greene King is hoping those same hands will find their way around a pint glass. The rain gods may be fickle, but pub-goers across the UK now have one more reason to hope for a little drizzle.