James Bond has tackled international villains, high-stakes missions, and martinis shaken rather than stirred. Now, Daniel Craig is taking on a decidedly different adventure: owning a pub. The former 007 star has teamed up with hospitality heavyweights Nick Jones, Charlie Carroll, and Justin O’Shea to acquire The Horseshoe, a historic pub in London’s Clerkenwell neighborhood.
And this isn’t just another celebrity-backed hospitality venture. The approximately 250-year-old pub comes with character, history, and, apparently, a resident ghost.
Craig’s partners bring serious industry credentials to the bar. Jones founded Soho House, the global private members’ club group, while Carroll is behind the popular Flat Iron steakhouse chain and helped create The Devonshire, one of London’s buzziest modern pubs. O’Shea, meanwhile, is the creative director of Bad Belze, the beer brand he launched with Craig.
The deal also has a personal connection for Craig. The actor grew up around pubs, with both his parents and grandparents involved in running them. Rather than simply cashing in on his celebrity status, he says he wants to help preserve the traditional pub experience: a welcoming neighborhood gathering place where people can relax, eat, drink, and talk without feeling they need a special occasion.
The plan is to renovate The Horseshoe while keeping its original spirit intact. The ground floor is expected to retain the atmosphere of a traditional British boozer, while the upper floor will become a dining space. Bad Belze beer is also expected to feature on the drinks menu.
Then there’s the ghost. According to the pub’s longtime former landlady, a spirit named Gilbert—said to have been a local hangman—haunts the cellar. Craig reportedly took the news in stride, joking that Gilbert might need a pint of his own.
The pub is expected to reopen after renovations, with no confirmed opening date yet.
For Craig, this may be his most British role yet: keeping a historic pub alive, one pint at a time.
