Stepping into a traditional pub is a unique experience. Will the atmosphere resemble The Slaughtered Lamb, from An American Werewolf in London, or offer a friendly, warm, cosy atmosphere with wooden bar, open fire and hand etched typography? That unpredictability is part of its charm.
Milly Aburrow played with this experience when creating The Salty Crisp Pub, an immersive installation exhibited at 44AD Artspace, Bath. The fictional pub merges Milly’s artistic motifs and personality, through the decorative richness of Art Nouveau, ceramic tiles, intricate wallpaper, mirrors, stained glass, while paying homage to the traditional British pub as a place rich with history, shared memories, conversation, support, and community.
“The Salty Crisp is rooted in my personal connection to two British pubs, The Star and Garter, in East Dean, and The Fox Goes Free, Chichester. They’re filled with little details that stick with you: candlelit tables, old photographs and paintings of the local Goodwood racecourse and circuit. It’s a place tied to special memories with friends and family. That kind of visual nostalgia, where the space is layered with history and a sense of place, which was a huge part of my inspiration.”
Milly continues: “There’s a visual generosity to a traditional pub interior, and I work with materials like patterned fabrics, tufted textiles, and hand-crafted elements, to capture their tactile charm. Every detail, from the crisp-themed wallpaper, to the stained glass panels and crisp packet sculptures, has been carefully considered. The overall effect is designed to feel nostalgic and comforting, yet personal and playful, evoking those everyday rituals we know and love, like sharing a packet of crisps with friends over a drink. For me, pub nostalgia is about the layered, maximalist atmosphere that brings it all together.”