In this Happy Hour episode, Tim and Michael shallow-dive into the deep world of pubs — why they matter, why they endure, and why we all seem to orbit back to them no matter our age or stage of life. Sparked by the opening week of Daphne and its promising early days community mix (martini first-timers, prams, young blokes, everyone in between), the meandering becomes a wider reflection on what great pubs actually do: create spaces where people feel welcome, relaxed, and understood without needing to dress up, book ahead, or know the secret handshake.From $2 pots in at The Edgy to the evolution of Melbourne’s independent pub scene, the pair unpack how pubs serve as essential “third places” — neither home nor work, but a dependable constant. They talk about the operators who’ve elevated the modern pub without losing its soul, why custodianship matters more than ownership, and how a venue stays true to its neighbourhood rather than imposing a cookie-cutter concept. There’s a warranted swipe at pokies culture: how it hollows out community spaces, distorts incentives, and represents the polar opposite of what a good pub should be.The episode wiggles through sporting culture, pram-friendly booths, the joy of a meat raffle, and the quiet power of a pub where the footy volume is off — ultimately landing on a simple truth: pubs work because they’re for everyone. The pub is the place that holds you. And that’s worth defending — and celebrating.The PAX Hospitality Podcast is produced by PAX and Craate Creative. Support for this podcast comes from Square and Brunswick Design and Innovation. Our music is produced by Patricia Heath and Mattias Westergren. PAX acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people as the traditional custodians of the land on which we operate. We pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging and to all First Nations People.

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