Britain’s Matt Ellis set out on a mission last weekend: to set a world record for the most pubs visited in 24 hours.
Ellis appears to have achieved his goal. The Cambridgeshire resident and St. Neots-based wine merchant ended up drinking at 51 bars throughout Sunday night and into the next day. Though no official record existed before, Ellis reportedly had to hit up more than 50 bars to have his attempt considered.
It’s been a difficult 18 months for pubs, Ellis told BBC News, and so he wanted to raise awareness for the “contribution that they make to society” with his marathon crawl. “It was all about the joy of pubs and the people you meet,” Ellis said.
Ellis started his epic night out in Cambridge, England, and visited 10 different pubs within the first hour. He was joined by official witnesses, and had to consume 125 milliliters of any drink at each stop for it to qualify as a pub visit..
Since drinking non-stop for 24 hours can become dangerous, Ellis mostly drank orange juice and diet cola throughout the night. “[I]t was probably the most difficult thing I’ve done in my life,” Ellis told the BBC. “There’s only so much drink you can get into your body.”
As of now, Ellis’ feat remains under examination as the Guinness World Records reviews his paperwork. If Ellis makes it in, we know where to find him celebrating (at the pub, of course).
