David Bingham said he had been “living the dream” as he reached the Flying Horse
A man who has spent four years crossing the country to visit every Wetherspoon pub has reached his 876th – and final – destination.
David Bingham bought a cheap flight ticket to Ireland just so he could get through security at Gatwick Airport and tick off The Flying Horse on Tuesday.
He said he was “elated” to have complete the full set of pubs and celebrated with a bottle of beer.
The chain said only a select group had matched his feat.
Mr Bingham, 60, from West Hallam in Derbyshire, said: “I’m not sure you’re supposed to buy a plane ticket just so you can get to the pub but there was no other way and now, honestly, I do feel elated.
“It started with with all the pubs in Derbyshire, then all the pubs in Staffordshire, then I just kept going really.”
Image source, David Bingham
Number 876 on the list at Gatwick Airpoty
Mr Bingham’s partner Una Cooper bought him a pubs’ directory and he said he had been working his way through it since 2019.
He has ticked them all off as well as 40 venues that have since closed.
He said: “I travel about a lot following Burton Albion, and to do my trainspotting, and every time I get to somewhere new I search out the Wetherspoons.
“There are so many interesting ones.
“I’ve had a drink in old fire stations, a police station, a tram station, printing halls and newspaper officers.
“There’s such a history to a lot of these pubs.”
Image source, David Bingham
Wetherspoon praised Mr Bingham for his dedication
He added: “I mainly travel by public transport so I’ve been able to have a pint in most of them.
“I don’t know how much I’ve spent. We don’t just go to the pub, we visit other things and we stay over when we travel, so maybe £30,000?
“Whatever the number it’s been such a great experience. I’ve really been living the dream.”
Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “We applaud David Bingham on his outstanding achievement.
“Many people love to visit Wetherspoon pubs across the UK and Ireland, but only a handful have visited each and every one.
“David will now join that select group.
“He has obviously put in a lot of time and effort into achieving his goal and we thank him for his dedication to our pubs.”
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