The ex UK pubs turned holiday rentals where can you can pull your own pints behind the bar

Ever fancied being a pub landlord or landlady for the weekend - hosting your own lock-in, quiz or even just hollering 'get outta my pub' at your nearest and dearest? 

A crop of former watering holes turned holiday lets have emerged that let you indulge such a fantasy.

With pubs disappearing at an alarming rate – around one-a-day according to the British Beer and Pub Association – the industry continues to endure a serious crisis, despite Britain being a beer-loving nation. 

However, some of the nation's often historic buildings are being given a new lease of life by enterprising owners – while still retaining many of their original features, meaning you can effectively get free reign of what feels like you're own pub. 

There's the chance to pull yourself a pint, sink into large, comfortable sofas and then pad up the stairs to bed when you decide to close the bar.

One such ex-boozer that's had new life breathed into it is Alderfalls, near Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales. 

The establishment has been in the same family for 33 years and was in a 'very poor state of repair' initially, owner Dallas Jones tells the Daily Mail. 

She adds: 'The outside had black shingling, and inside there was extensive damp and mould. In places, there were even mushrooms growing out of the walls!

'It certainly wasn’t an overnight transformation. We have invested time, money and an enormous amount of hard work into bringing the building back to life.

'Our intention was initially to restore it as a traditional country pub, rather than turn it into holiday accommodation.'

Alderfalls is just one example of a holiday let that used to be a pub, pictured is owner Dallas Jones pulling a pint behind the bar

With a private bar and comfy sofas, guests can enjoy having the entire place to themselves 

The village pub was originally known as the Prices Arms Hotel and was a popular stop-off for Welsh miners and railway travellers, thanks to its location near Coelbren Junction, which closed for passenger services in 1962.

Under the Jones family, Alderfalls had a faithful group of regulars and dished up homemade food, eventually adding four apartments in the floors above the pub. 

'This allowed us to offer visitors somewhere to stay while giving them a taste of traditional Welsh hospitality,' Ms Jones says. 'It was a natural progression, and it worked well for many years.'

The Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown had a huge impact on the hospitality industry, as well as rising costs afterwards, and Alderfalls was forced to adapt. 

'It wasn’t that we had lost our love for hospitality. Quite the opposite. We needed to find a more sustainable way to keep the building operating and preserve what makes it special,' Ms Jones explains. 

'That is when we decided to evolve once again and create Alderfalls as an exclusive group-stay venue, retaining the private pub experience rather than losing it altogether.'

Since moving to the holiday let business, Ms Jones admits, 'it is a much more sustainable business model for a property of this size and in our particular rural location'.

She adds: 'Running a traditional pub involves enormous daily commitments. You have staffing, food preparation, stock, wastage, opening hours, heating and electricity, alongside the responsibility of maintaining a large historic building.

'The exclusive group-stay model allows us to concentrate on providing a quality experience for larger groups without the same daily operating demands as a pub and restaurant.'

Up to 19 guests can enjoy use of a private bar and lounge areas, as well as a large, catering-style kitchen. 

The holiday let sleeps up to 19 guests across four bedrooms and four bathrooms

The original beer pumps are still in use and guests can pre-book from a selection of kegs if they wish to pull their own pint during their stay.

There are four bedrooms and four bathrooms, with prices starting from £650 a night. 

'At Alderfalls, we have found a way to retain the original pub atmosphere and character while giving the building a new commercial purpose,' Ms Jones insists.

'We haven’t simply converted it into ordinary holiday accommodation. We have kept the pub at the heart of the experience. Groups can hire the whole venue and enjoy their own private pub.

'I believe repurposing historic pubs can be a positive way of protecting our heritage, provided the buildings retain their identity and are given a viable future.'

Alderfalls is available to book on quirky accommodation site Host Unusual, and co-founder Alex Wilson reveals how they have seen a 'sharp increase' to their Private Pubs and Inns page and searches for such properties have soared by over 120 per cent in the past year. 

'We have also seen more properties arrive onto the market, at a time when more pubs are closing, and owners are increasingly turning their attention to holiday rental options for these historic venues instead,' he adds.

'The facilities often seen in these accommodations lend themselves to a really interesting group celebration, with many of the operating bars left for guests to use, along with hot tubs/saunas, games rooms, private dining rooms, cinemas, games simulators and even gyms!'

The original beer pumps are still in use and available to pre-book with kegs

Over in Norfolk, The Five Bells Inn is another example of how a pub-turned-holiday home has saved a historic building in the UK and now offers an unforgettable experience. 

The watering hole's records date back to 1755 but Louisa Harnwell's partner and his business partner only bought the establishment in 2015.

After a lot of 'blood, sweat and tears' the venue reopened in 2018, but the impact of the pandemic forced the pub to close in March 2020.

Whilst in lockdown, the decision was made to change it to a holiday home, Ms Harnwell tells the Daily Mail.

It became a family affair in 2023 when Ms Harnwell joined up with her partner and his children to create the Robinson Holiday Homes Partnership and the rest is history. 

'We've been basically fully booked since 2023,' Ms Harnwell reveals, adding how when they first opened there weren't many accommodation options like The Five Bells Inn on the market. 

The holiday let sleeps up to 21 guests across eight bedrooms and promises the 'lock-in of a lifetime'.

Although alcohol isn't provided and the beer pumps are turned off, the interior still very much feels like a traditional watering hole with a saloon bar area complete with pool and football tables. 

The Five Bells Inn is another pub-turned-holiday let and is located in Norfolk

Despite its transformation the venue still has many of its original features including the bar

Aside from the bar and lounge area, guests have access to a range of other facilities such as a hot tub and a sauna 

The sitting room is adorned with Chesterfield sofas as well as a television, offering a cosy space to unwind. 

Guests can even make use of various game simulators, and even a hot tub and a sauna – the options are endless. 

The Five Bells Inn still has all of the pub's original features and could easily be transformed back, which only adds to its appeal with guests.

Ms Harnwell emphasises they are 'very passionate' about supporting the local area through The Five Bells Inn. 

'It's in the middle of the village and running a traditional pub is financially impossible, it's just so hard,' she explains. 'We've basically saved a building and placed tourism in the heart of our village.'

The venue has retained staff members who previously worked for the pub and has hired a 'fabulous team of cleaners'.

'Our guests use all the local facilities. We've got the butchers, we've got shops, we've got a pub down the road, one down the other end, restaurants and the takeaways,' Ms Harnwell adds.

'There are 21 people that come and 21 people that spend money in the village as well.'

Also available to book on Host Unusual, The Five Bells Inn is priced from £3,261 a week – working out at just £155 per person. 

Former 1800s pub, The Sun Inn Hawkshead is also available to rent

It has a fully functioning bar, a perfect addition for a weekend staycation

In the rolling hills of the Lake District, The Sun Inn Hawkshead has also been converted into a rental – and lucky holidaymakers get the entire pub to themselves for the duration of their stay.

Built during the 1800s, the former historic coaching inn has a bar and dining room as well as an outdoor seating area, making it ideal for all types of weather.

A recently installed flash chiller/cooler gives you the chance to put your own keg behind the bar and pour your own pints, too.

In terms of accommodation, the pub – which can be booked through Airbnb and Booking.com – sleeps up to 20 people, across a range of bedrooms including en-suites and twin rooms. 

Prices start from £2,869 for a three-night stay, which – if you use the pub to its capacity – works out as just £143 per person.