When we think about Plymouth’s culture, we might think about its maritime history, its music, its artists, its architecture or its famous landmarks.
But there is another important part of the city’s culture that can be found behind the doors of its pubs.
Plymouth’s pubs have long been places where people meet, friendships are formed, characters become well known and stories are passed from one generation to the next.
And that is the world being explored by Simon Pykett, who runs the Plymouth on Tap Facebook page.
Simon has made it his mission to visit pubs across Plymouth and find out more about them not simply where they are or what they serve, but the stories and history that make each one unique.
Behind many pub doors there is a fascinating history.
There are stories about former landlords, memorable customers, unusual events, local characters and communities that have grown around their favourite watering holes.
Some pubs have been part of their neighbourhoods for generations, while others have disappeared altogether. In both cases, there are stories worth recording.
That is what makes Plymouth on Tap particularly interesting.
It is about looking at pubs as part of the wider story of the city.
For Plymouth Post, it also provides an opportunity to explore a side of Plymouth culture that can sometimes be overlooked.
We are now looking at working more closely with Simon and Plymouth on Tap to develop a new series for Plymouth Culture, taking us inside some of the city’s pubs and, most importantly, introducing us to the people connected with them.
We want to meet the landlords, staff, regulars and characters who give these places their identity.
We want to hear the stories that may never have made it into a history book.
We want to discover the memories of people who have spent decades in the same pubs, and find out what makes particular places so important to the communities around them.
And we want to look at the history behind the buildings themselves because a pub can often tell us something about the neighbourhood and the people who have lived there.
This isn’t intended to be a series of pub reviews.
It is about people and their stories.
It is about discovering the Plymouth that exists beyond the obvious landmarks and finding the character of the city in the places where people have gathered for generations.
Plymouth on Tap gives us a starting point for that journey, with Simon’s knowledge and enthusiasm for the city’s pub scene helping to open the door to a world of local stories.
This first feature is just a taste of what we hope will follow.
Over the coming months, Plymouth Culture will be looking at the people, places and stories that make Plymouth what it is and some of those stories may begin with nothing more complicated than walking through the doors of a local pub.
Because pubs aren’t just buildings.
They are part of the living history of Plymouth.
Real stories. Real people. Real places.
Photographs © Wayne Perry / Plymouth Post