
Everyday Spirits: What Pub Psychic Nights Reveal About Grief, Gender, and Grassroots Spirituality in Britain
Across Britain on any given weekday night, a psychic or medium is likely communicating with the dead in your local pub. These “pub psychic nights” have become an increasingly visible feature of Britain’s spiritual landscape, but until now, they’ve remained largely under-researched and socially misunderstood. To some, they are easily dismissed, seen as exploitative or merely light entertainment. But for others, they offer exciting and meaningful opportunities to explore ideas they are open to believing in. Our project Weekday Worldviews: The Patrons, Promise and Payoff of Psychic Nights in England is the first sociological study of pub psychic audiences in Britain. Our findings reveal their significance as accessible, emotionally resonant, and spiritually meaningful events, particularly for working-class women navigating grief and uncertainty.