The Beer-Drinking Pig Frances Bacon: Pub Favorite with an Alcohol Problem
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Frances Bacon was a very special pig. The Vietnamese potbellied pig lived for 13 years at the pub "The Conquering Hero" in London. There, she was the favorite of the guests - also because of her fondness for beer.
How Frances Bacon Became a Pub Pig
The owners of the pub, Ian and Victoria Taylor-Ross, had deliberately chosen a pet pig. Ian had grown up with farm animals, and Frances was house-trained within a few days. As a piglet, she rampaged through the house and made herself at home in the children's beds. She grew up alongside the children and quickly became part of the family.
Pig Develops a Taste for Beer
However, Frances also developed a taste for pub life - especially for beer and snacks. She would wait until the bar was closed to see what she could steal from behind the counter. Often, the owners would find overturned barstools and chairs in the morning because Frances had been searching for treats.
The pub visitors found the pig entertaining and would occasionally give her a sip of beer. But at some point, Frances started bumping into guests to get to their drinks. That's when Ian and Victoria had to intervene.
Owners Take Action
They locked away the snacks and forbade guests from giving the pig alcohol. Frances got her own enclosure in the beer garden, where she still enjoyed lying in the grass and dozing, even in her old age. Only rarely was she allowed into the pub - and then she was closely watched.
In January 2023, Frances Bacon died at the age of 13 after a short illness. Until the end, she was the pub favorite. On Facebook, the owners bid a touching farewell: "To most, you were the 'pub pig,' but to us, you were so much more. You were family, and we couldn't have loved you more."
