The Queens Head, Gilesgate

30/10/2026

🍻 History, quality and community spirit all under one roof.

A huge congratulations to The Sportsman Inn in Carlisle on being crowned City Pub of the Year by Solway CAMRA.

For centuries, The Sportsman has been at the heart of Carlisle's pub scene, and today it continues to set the standard. From perfectly kept cask ales and delicious home-cooked food to the warm welcome that greets every customer, the team consistently delivers the kind of experience that keeps people coming back.

Its reputation speaks for itself. Alongside previous honours such as Winter Pub of the Season, The Sportsman has earned regular recognition in the CAMRA Good B**r Guide and remains one of the city's most loved traditional pubs.

This latest award celebrates the passion, hard work and dedication of the entire team, who continue to preserve the pub's rich heritage while making it a thriving destination for b**r lovers and the local community alike.

👏 Congratulations to our Publican, Amanda Picken, and everyone at The Sportsman Inn on another fantastic achievement.

29/10/2026

This weeks winners

29/10/2026

🦈♠️ **DURHAM, TONIGHT’S THE NIGHT — DON’T MISS OUT!** ♠️🦈

👑 **ROYAL SHARKS POKER LAUNCH — 7PM TONIGHT!**

🍺 **£2 PINTS ALL DAY!**
Coors | John Smith’s | Murphy’s | Inch’s

⚽ **LIVE CARABAO CUP FOOTBALL**
🕢 7:45PM — Everton 🆚 Newcastle

🧠 **GREAT BRITISH PUB QUIZ**
🕗 From 8PM — grab your mates and get your team ready!

🃏 Whether you're a poker pro or a complete beginner, come down, meet the Royal Sharks team and be part of our brand-new weekly poker league. Build points, climb the leaderboards and work towards bigger events and a **£5,000 POKER SPONSORSHIP!** 🏆

📍 **THE QUEENS HEAD HOTEL**
2 Sherburn Road, Durham, DH1 2JR

🔥 **DON’T SIT AT HOME WISHING YOU’D COME — GET YOUR MATES TOGETHER AND GET YOURSELVES DOWN HERE TONIGHT!**

🍻 £2 PINTS. ⚽ LIVE FOOTBALL. 🧠 PUB QUIZ. 🦈 POKER LAUNCH.

👇 **COMMENT “I’M IN”, TAG YOUR MATES AND WE’LL SEE YOU AT THE BAR!** 👑

28/10/2026

🔥⚽🍻 **WEDNESDAY AT THE QUEENS HEAD!** 🍻⚽🏇

We’re halfway through the week and we’ve got a belter lined up for you today! 🙌

🍺💥 **£2 PINTS ALL DAY!** 💥🍺

Your selected pints are:
🍺 Coors
🍺 John Smith’s
🍺 Murphy’s
🍺 Inch’s

🏇 **WEDNESDAY RACING CLUB | 12PM–6PM**
💳 Get **10% OFF ALL DRINKS** with your members card!
🐎 Plus, live horse racing throughout the afternoon.

⚽🔥 **LIVE FOOTBALL TONIGHT!** 🔥⚽

🏆 **CARABAO CUP**
🕢 **7:45PM** – Sunderland v Brentford
🕗 **8PM** – Liverpool v Chelsea

🏴 **SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP**
🕗 **8PM** – Hearts v Rangers

🍻 Great-value pints, live racing and a cracking night of football — what more could you want?

👇 **WHO’S JOINING US TODAY?**
👥 Tag your mates who are coming down!
👍 Like and share the post to spread the word!

👑 **GET YOURSELF DOWN TO THE QUEENS HEAD — SEE YOU AT THE BAR!** 🍻

27/10/2026

WOW 🔥

This has been such an honour to be a part of!

Huge thanks to Coca-Cola for championing community leaders around the UK and for picking our very own Simon Dafforn-jones as Local Royalty!

It was a privilege to have portrait artist to royalty, Jamie Coreth, capture Simon in his natural habitat, the FBI.

Read more here 👇🏼

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/pub-landlord-given-royal-treatment-37812329

27/10/2026

🎃👻 **HALLOWEEN QUIZ NIGHT AT THE QUEENS HEAD!** 👻🎃

Fancy a frightfully good night out? 💀 Get your teams together because **TONIGHT is Halloween Quiz Night!** 🧙‍♀️🕷️

🍻 **£2 PINTS ALL DAY!** 🍻
🍺 Coors
🍏 Inch’s
🍺 Murphy’s
🍺 John Smith’s

🏆 **BAR TAB PRIZES FOR THE TOP 3 TEAMS!**
🥇 1st Place – **£30 BAR TAB**
🥈 2nd Place – **£20 BAR TAB**
🥉 3rd Place – **£10 BAR TAB**

🎃 **EXTRA PRIZES UP FOR GRABS!** 🎃
👻 Best Halloween-themed team name
🧟 Best fancy dress costume

Get creative with your team name, dress to impress (or terrify! 😱) and bring your best quiz knowledge!

📅 **Tuesday 27th October**
⏰ **Quiz starts at 9PM**
📍 **The Queens Head Hotel, Durham**

👀 Tag your quiz team, sort those costumes and get yourselves down for a spooky night of fun, laughs, drinks and prizes!

💀🎃 **WHO WILL BE CROWNED THE KINGS AND QUEENS OF HALLOWEEN QUIZ NIGHT?** 👑

🍻 **THE QUEENS HEAD – WHERE THE FUN NEVER DIES!** 🕸️

26/10/2026

🔥🍻 **MONDAY JUST GOT BETTER AT THE QUEENS HEAD!** 🍻🔥

Start the week with **£2 PINTS, FREE POOL & our weekly pool competition!** 🎱🍺

🍺 **£2 PINTS ALL DAY**
Coors • John Smith’s • Murphy’s • Inch’s

🎱 **FREE POOL FROM 5PM**

🏆 **WEEKLY POOL COMPETITION FROM 8PM**
💰 **BAR TAB UP FOR GRABS!**

👥 Grab your mates, get the drinks in and make a night of it!

🔥 **DON’T LET MONDAY BE BORING — MONDAY NIGHTS START HERE!** 🔥

📍 **The Queens Head, Durham** 👑🍻

25/10/2026

🎃👻 **HALLOWEEN QUIZ NIGHT AT THE QUEENS HEAD!** 👻🎃

🧙‍♀️ **TUESDAY 27TH OCTOBER – FROM 9PM!** 🧛‍♂️

Think your team has what it takes to conquer our spooky Halloween quiz? 💀🕷️ Gather your friends and get ready for a night of Halloween fun, laughs and prizes! 🦇

🏆 **🏆 BAR TAB PRIZES FOR THE TOP 3 TEAMS! 🏆**

🥇 **1ST PLACE – £30 BAR TAB** 💷
🥈 **2ND PLACE – £20 BAR TAB** 💷
🥉 **3RD PLACE – £10 BAR TAB** 💷

🎃 **EXTRA SPOOKTACULAR PRIZES!** 🎃

👻 **BEST HALLOWEEN-THEMED TEAM NAME**
🧟 **BEST FANCY DRESS COSTUME**

Get creative with your team name, dress to impress (or terrify! 😱) and join us for a frightfully good Tuesday night!

📅 **Tuesday 27th October**
⏰ **Quiz starts at 9PM**
📍 **The Queens Head Hotel, Durham**

🕸️ Tag your quiz team, start planning those spooky costumes and get yourselves down! 🕷️

💀 **WHO WILL BE CROWNED THE KINGS AND QUEENS OF HALLOWEEN QUIZ NIGHT?** 👑🎃

🍻 **THE QUEENS HEAD – WHERE THE FUN NEVER DIES!** 💀🍻

25/10/2026

🍻🔥 **CHILLOUT SUNDAY AT THE QUEENS HEAD!** 🔥🍻

Your Sunday is sorted with **£2 PINTS ALL DAY**, top-class football, live NFL and poker! ⚽🏈♠️

🍺 **£2 A PINT — ALL DAY!**
🍻 Inch’s
🍻 Coors
🍻 John Smith’s
🍻 Murphy’s

⚽ **LIVE FOOTBALL TODAY**

🏴 **12PM — SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP**
Hibernian v Celtic

🏆 **ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP**
🕑 2PM — Liverpool v Brighton
🕑 2PM — Crystal Palace v Newcastle
🕑 2PM — Man Utd v Bournemouth
🕟 4:30PM — Sunderland v Leeds

🏈 **FROM 8PM — LIVE NFL!**
Settle in and catch the NFL action live on our screens!

♠️ **FROM 8PM — POKER NIGHT!** 🃏

🍻 Great value drinks
⚽ Live football throughout the afternoon
🏈 NFL action from 8PM
♠️ Poker night at The Queens Head

📍 **The Queens Head Hotel, Durham**

🔥 **BIG MATCHES. GREAT PRICES. SUNDAY DONE RIGHT!**

Get yourself down, grab a pint and enjoy your Sunday with us! 🍻👑

24/10/2026

🔥🍻 **SUPER SATURDAY AT THE QUEENS HEAD!** 🍻🔥

⚽🏆 **LIVE SPORT, £2 PINTS & A MASSIVE KARAOKE NIGHT!** 🎤💃

🍺 **£2 A PINT ALL DAY!** 🍺
🍻 Coors | John Smith’s | Murphy’s | Inch’s 🍻

📺 **TODAY’S LIVE SPORT**

⚽ **12:30PM — EFL CHAMPIONSHIP**
Charlton 🆚 Norwich

⚽ **12:30PM — PREMIERSHIP**
Aston Villa 🆚 Man City

⚽ **5:30PM — PREMIERSHIP**
Chelsea 🆚 Spurs

🎯 **FROM 6PM — EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP DARTS!**
Catch all the action live on our screens! 🎯🔥

🎧🎤 **FROM 8PM — THE FABULOUS GEORGIA!** 🎤🎧

Get ready for a brilliant **DJ & KARAOKE NIGHT!** Pick your favourite tune, grab the mic and show us what you’ve got! 🎶🕺💃

🥃🎤 **FREE SHOT FOR EVERY KARAOKE SINGER!** 🎤🥃

🔥 £2 pints ALL DAY
⚽ Live football
🎯 Darts from 6PM
🎤 DJ & Karaoke from 8PM
🥃 Free shot for every karaoke singer!

📍 **THE QUEENS HEAD, DURHAM**

🍻 **SPORT BY DAY… PARTY BY NIGHT!** 🍻

Tag your mates, spread the word and get yourselves down to The Queens Head! 🔥🙌

20/10/2026

At Punch, we're proud to see young talent thrive across our pubs and support teams. From first jobs to leadership roles, remains one of the UK's greatest industries for developing skills, building confidence and creating rewarding careers.

That's why we're backing a hospitality-wide call to Government ahead of the Budget, championing the sector's ability to create jobs and opportunities for young people.

Hear Harry Bourne's story and why he's proud to support this message.

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 🍍

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

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. 💫

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 🥂

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 👏