Phil Winser

“They’re like children. I don’t have a favourite!”. A diplomatic response from Public House Group co-founder, Phil Winser. As someone who originally wanted to be a farmer, his career pivot towards hospitality was “a calling”. After twenty years shaking up the food scene in New York with The Fat Radish, Phil turned his attention back to his homeland in 2020. A conversation over a pint with friend James Gummer gave the duo an idea to put some serious love back into the classic British pub. A combination of beautifully restored historic buildings, brilliant atmosphere, domestically brewed beers on tap and spectacular menus that celebrate local produce have meant their establishments consistently sit in London’s ‘best of’ lists. Olivier van Themschse joined the business in 2023 to officially launch Public House Group as a business following the success of The Pelican.

On Community

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Taking what he's learned from his foundational projects in the US, Phil is clear what the Public House Group isn't. "We're not a gastropub," he says. "We feel a lot of 'gastropubs' have lost the essence of a pub." For him, a pub needs to be flexible and unpretentious. "I'm an Englishman afterall. Think of the late Queen. David Beckham. Icons of what the UK is all about. When I was younger, socialising was all about going to the pub. They were part of people's daily lives. Of course, with all of our places, The Bull, The Hero, The Fat Badger, The Hart or The Pelican, we do really good food, but we've made sure you can still just pop in for a pint at the bar."

He speaks about farming with sincerity and emotion, explaining, "I was lucky to grow up spending time on farms. As early as I can remember, I was outside, being connected to food and how it's grown, witnessing moments of pure magic. Farmers are stewards of the land they look after – they aren't just managing livestock or crops, they have a genuine passion for caring about what they are producing. There's a great responsibility that goes hand-in-hand with the job. It's hard work!"

Provenance is a word that gets used liberally in food culture, but Winser is careful with it. "As a restaurateur you have to put ego aside and focus on the produce and where it comes from. We're always looking to work with people in the UK who are giving back to the land and farming in a regenerative way as a starting point." When the Public House Group chooses who to work with, the criteria are human as well as agricultural. "We don't work with fixed certifications." Phil shares how quality reveals itself in consistency and attitude, and also in how someone talks about their land when there's nothing to sell.

Similarly, sustainability is not framed as an initiative. "To us, it's never been a trend." When asked about the challenges of staying true to soil-led values within a growing hospitality group, Winser is candid and clarifies, "If we listed all the issues we face on a daily basis I'd likely give up. So we just crack on with it!"

The philosophy of timelessness extends into the design of all the Public House Group's spaces. Ask most people to visualise a traditional English pub and tired furniture, a pool table, sticky carpets and ultra-processed snacks are all likely to get a mention. Instagrammable (some might say) for the wrong reasons. Punters at The Bull, or any of the other outposts touched by the wizardry of Phil and his team, can expect interiors that are stylish without ever being showy or precious. Every detail has been considered, from the lighting, fixtures and fittings, right down to the glassware, cutlery and crockery. Meticulous decision making on material choices gives them all a clean, warm aesthetic that's deceptively simple. An elegant place to wind down that's relaxing and welcoming. He adds that they wanted their pubs to feel like, "an extension of the home."

"With every pub we design, it starts with the bones of the building," he says, letting the architecture lead. At The Bull in Charlbury, Oxfordshire, this meant allowing the building's history to speak and choreographing how people moved through it. "We wanted The Bull to feel like a classic pub whilst breaking up the space into sections so there are different moments of discovery. We want patrons to be able to use the building in different ways depending on the occasion. For us, pubs are the original members' clubs, without the membership. You can come in for a quick drink or a big birthday dinner. From casual weekday lunches to events like life drawing and even Pilates. We want them to feel like living rooms for the neighbourhood."


It's a successful balance of luxury with humility. Public House Group have nailed the assignment of seriously classy refinement without losing the true soul of a great British pub. What's the secret? "You'd have to ask our customers that!" he says, half-laughing.

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Welcome to The Stance. A natural extension of the conversations, places and most importantly, the people who have long shaped the brand. This printed record celebrates our community – and takes a closer look at how the connections we've made have played a part in defining the shape and unique spirit of Marfa Stance.

Across its pages, are stories from our global collective. Long-form interviews with humans whose lives, practices and points of view reflect a shared sensibility, rather than one single aesthetic. United by the way they move through the world with curiosity, creativity, and conviction, these conversations lean into the value of slowing down.

A publication is the original anti-scroll – something permanent you can live with and return to, time after time. Forever evolving with enduring, timeless appeal, The Stance mirrors our approach to clothing. It's an invitation into the Marfa Stance world, their voices, values, and the rhythm of their universe.

[7] ON JOURNEYING: David Prior

A Stance On: Journeying

Some people have an air of always being mid-journey, even when they’re sitting still. David Prior fits that bill. He is wanderlust, personified. Born in Australia, he left early, propelled by what Australians often refer to as ‘the tyranny of distance’, moving to Italy in 2006 to study Gastronomic Science in Piedmont, then to California in 2009 and finally, to New York in 2014. Clearly, geography matters to the founder of esteemed travel company Prior, although taste and cultural literacy matter more.

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David Prior

A Stance On: Journeying

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[8] ON CONNECTION: Georgie Greville

A Stance On: Connection

Reinvention has never been the aim for Georgie Greville. With a successful career threaded through the realms of music, film, beauty, culture and entrepreneurship, what sounds at first like a dream résumé has morphed into more of a life philosophy. At the core, she personifies deeply embodied creativity, but when she speaks, there’s a force of clarity that flows – announcing with candour that these skills are now being used for the good. The lure of corporate pizza has lost its appeal and Georgie’s expertise is no longer for sale. Her defiance is inspirational.

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Georgie Greville

A Stance On: Connection

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[9] ON COMPATIBILITY: Legacy + Andreas

A Stance On: Compatibility

The shared world of New York-based Legacy Russell and Andreas Laszlo Konrath is shaped by language, images and history. Curator, writer and author Legacy grew up in the East Village, with Andreas arriving from London after a long, meandering education through skate culture, art school, and the early-2000s visual economy of magazines and music. Together, they model a way of living with work, rather than inside it. Their respective practices are distinct, but in constant conversation.

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Legacy Russell Andreas L. Konrath

A Stance On: Compatibility

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[10] ON CAPTURING: Richard Haines

A Stance On: Capturing

Richard Haines has spent a lifetime looking at stuff. At clothes, people and posture. He clocks those small daily decisions we all make that reveal something bigger about ourselves. This observational prowess gives his drawings a very specific kind of documentary authority. When he talks about sitting down with a blank sheet of paper and an ink pen, there’s no mythology attached. “I have a pretty deep, primal relationship with drawing. When I’m doing it, I’m not thinking – it’s more of a meditation. If I end up with something I love I’m a bit surprised.”

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Richard Haines

A Stance On: Capturing

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[1] ON CARE: Mickalene Thomas

A Stance On: Care

American artist Mickalene Thomas has just returned from Paris. She's been busy with her latest exhibition at the city's Grand Palais. After eleven days away from home she's relieved to be back in New York – it's a contradiction we're all familiar with. Travelling is so liberating; it's great to get away, but always good to be reunited with your own bed, your own pillows, and your own space.

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Mickalene Thomas

A Stance On: Care

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[2] ON LEGACY: The Elgorts

A Stance On: Legacy

There are some families where creativity runs through the genes. For the Elgorts, this inheritance is something they practise and finesse with commitment, forever sharpening their skills. Image-making, movement, and performance might sound like a bunch of separate disciplines, but for Sophie, her father Arthur and mother Grethe, they are overlapping ways of engaging with the world.

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The Elgorts

A Stance On: Legacy

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[3] ON RESTORATION: Titouan Bernicot

A Stance On: Restoration

There are some families where creativity runs through the genes. For the Elgorts, this inheritance is something they practise and finesse with commitment, forever sharpening their skills. Image-making, movement, and performance might sound like a bunch of separate disciplines, but for Sophie, her father Arthur and mother Grethe, they are overlapping ways of engaging with the world.

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Titouan Bernicot

A Stance On: Restoration

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[Feature] ON BEING READY

On Being Ready

On Being Ready

Words by Katherine Bucknell

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[4] ON VALUES: Mike Anders

A Stance On: Values

For a man who manages the wealth of some of the world's most influential individuals, Mike Anders doesn't speak like a traditional finance expert. Laidback, warm and super charismatic, he seems remarkably uninterested in money as an end goal. His enthusiasm centres around people instead – on the notion of trust, listening, and the idea that good conversations and true connections are where life's real value lies.

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Mike Anders

A Stance On: Values

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[5] ON SISTERHOOD: Sandy Tabatznik

A Stance On: Sisterhood

There’s a warmth to Sandy Tabatznik’s voice, which makes it easy to get a real sense of her lived experience when she talks. We start the conversation by considering the notion of women supporting women, which Sandy doesn’t frame as a trend or a strategy – it’s simply a fact of life. “In our Lalela Female Empowerment programmes, we encourage our girls to look to each other for community instead of competition,” she says. “I think this is a lesson that also stands in the world of business. There is room for everyone at the table.” It’s a quiet, but radical statement that feels practical and rooted in decades of experience (and a deep belief) in shared success. “At Lalela, we’re constantly seeking to empower not only the young women in our programmes, but also our female teachers, community leaders and staff. Our leadership team at Lalela has a female majority and together, these women have created an environment of care, creativity and respect that we are deeply proud of.”

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Sandy Tabatznik

A Stance On: Sisterhood

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[6] ON COMMUNITY: Phil Winser

A Stance On: Community

“They’re like children. I don’t have a favourite!”. A diplomatic response from Public House Group co-founder, Phil Winser. As someone who originally wanted to be a farmer, his career pivot towards hospitality was “a calling”. After twenty years shaking up the food scene in New York with The Fat Radish, Phil turned his attention back to his homeland in 2020. A conversation over a pint with friend James Gummer gave the duo an idea to put some serious love back into the classic British pub. A combination of beautifully restored historic buildings, brilliant atmosphere, domestically brewed beers on tap and spectacular menus that celebrate local produce have meant their establishments consistently sit in London’s ‘best of’ lists. Olivier van Themschse joined the business in 2023 to officially launch Public House Group as a business following the success of The Pelican.

Read Article

Phil Winser

A Stance On: Community

Read Article