The Thinking Drinkers are taking a chariot ride back to ancient Greece, galloping across the plains of America ‘s Wild West, stepping into a hansom cab to the gin palaces of Victorian England, before making it back in time for closing in a good old British pub.

Celebrating drinking establishments though the ages, Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham invite the people of Swindon to join them on their Pub Crawl which includes five free drinks.

Tom said: “We want to celebrate drinking through the ages. In the symposiums of the Greeks, through sitting around sipping wine, thinking and talking, they came up with the idea of the Olympics. In the Wild West it was the saloon that was the hub of the county. The first crisps were introduced in a saloon by George Crumb.”

Tom is the former editor of Class, a spirits and cocktails magazine, editor of the award-winning World’s Best Cocktails, and columnist with a number of newspapers including the Daily Telegraph and a regular on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch.

Ben is also a columnist and triple crowned winner of British Beer Writer of the Year. They both have a mission to stop the decline of the pub culture in Britain.

Tom said there were 52,000 pubs that have closed in the UK in recent years. “People would go to their local to meet a mix of people, it was a place away from the workplace and a better social life for everyone,’’ he said.

Both writers endorse their Drink Less Drink Better policy of enjoying alcohol not abusing it but Tom admits that his favourite cocktails are gin based, and he is delighted with the flurry of interest in specialised gins that has grown up over the last 10 years and he promises a special one when they come to Swindon.

“We always get a good audience in Swindon, lovely people which is why we are coming back, and we are bringing some Four Pillars Gin to try,” he said.

The Thinking Drinkers will also be tempting palettes with some special rum, craft beers from America, luxurious vodka and even some Jameson’s Irish whiskey.

Tom and Ben have taken their shows to the Edinburgh Fringe for the past eight years and audiences have grown in that time. They have performed in London’s West End at the Soho Theatre as well as their UK tours. “This year we were in Leicester Square Theatre,’’ said Tom.

The Thinking Drinkers got together to write the Good Beer Guide West Coast USA but before they could set off Tom had to ask permission of his fiance. She said yes and now she is his wife.

“It wasn’t that boisterous because we were mainly driving long distances. It was hard work but good fun,’’ said Tom.

The duo got their act together by accident while doing lectures. They began by throwing in the occasional anecdote. “Ben and I had done our own thing, different direction as journalists but then this just happened, it started with talks and then snowballed into theatre shows,’’ said Tom.

While Tom says they enjoy their live shows and appearing on Sunday Brunch he thinks that TV producers fear a show all about alcohol would be seen in a negative light .

“Our show would translate brilliantly to TV, we shall have to talk to them,’’ he said. They will be stopping off at Swindon’s Arts Centre, Devizes Road, Old Town on Friday, November 9 from 8pm. Tickets are £17.50. For more details call 01793 524481 or visit www.swindontheatres.co.uk - Flicky Harrison