Joshua Matheson

Still inthe trade.

Pub operator. Hospitality consultant. Industry commentator.

The story

Joshua Matheson is a pub operator and hospitality consultant specialising in the future of pubs, operational innovation and technology. Known as Josh the Pub Guy, he brings a working operator’s perspective to the UK hospitality industry.

I have spent more than 12 years in hospitality, from pulling pints and running kitchens to leading teams, recovering struggling pubs and supporting operators across the UK.

I have supported more than 200 pubs, bars, cafés and hotels. I have also lived the harder side of the trade: debt pressure, staff shortages, failing sites, compliance problems and business models where operator autonomy can be limited. That experience is why my advice is direct, commercially grounded and designed to work in the real world.

My JM Pubs business-owner role began in December 2025. In 2026, that chapter developed into operating Ye Olde Red Horse in Evesham and The Crown Inn in Peopleton. Operating today keeps my thinking honest. Every recommendation still has to stand up to wage costs, supplier pressure, guest expectations and a busy service.

Professional standing

Experience, backed by commitment.

Fellow of the British Institute of InnkeepingRecognised professional commitment to the licensed hospitality sector.

Member of the Institute of LicensingConnected to current licensing practice and professional standards.

BIIAB Award for Personal Licence HoldersBIIAB · Issued March 2013.

DPS at more than 12 sitesSeven years of practical premises and licensing responsibility.

15 consecutive 5-star ratingsA sustained food hygiene record built through systems and culture.

National Pub & Bar AwardsWorcestershire county finalist recognition in 2025.

SME Worcestershire AwardsBusiness recognition across 2023 and 2024.

Brainz Magazine Executive ContributorPublished commentary and an exclusive interview on the future of pubs.

What I believe

The Great British pub is not dead.

It needs reinventing around its community, a disciplined commercial model and experiences people cannot get at home. Technology should remove friction and give operators time back. It should never replace hospitality.

I tell operators what they need to hear, then help them do something useful with it.

The operator behind the advice

Details decide the result.

My work connects the commercial view with what actually happens on shift. A price change affects guest perception. A menu change affects preparation and waste. A rota change affects both the wage bill and the quality of service.

From June 2019 to February 2026, I worked as both a self-employed Marston’s pub operator and Area Support Coach. Before that, I was General Manager at The Grove Bar, Front Of House Manager at Barnt Green Café Morso, and supported the launch of Kumu Bromsgrove. Supporting different venues taught me to separate a genuine local need from a routine that has simply gone unchallenged.

As a Fellow of the British Institute of Innkeeping and a member of the Institute of Licensing, I bring professional commitment alongside practical experience. I have served as Designated Premises Supervisor at more than 12 sites. For me, standards have to be understood by the team and maintained during service, not just recorded in a folder.

I have provided independent business consulting as Josh The Pub Guy since February 2024. My focus now is on sustainable community pubs and useful operator support: better decisions, commercially sensible offers, confident teams and technology that makes the working day easier.

Qualifications and training

Knowledge behind the practice.

Training across food safety, allergens, workplace safety and licensing supports my practical work with hospitality teams.