THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS IN PUBS (TEiP) is an evolving project and community.

It was founded by Bonny Astor in February 2023, in a London pub.

The ‘pilot’ episode attracted over 100 people…and momentum has grown from there.

TEiP’s roots reach back to Bonny’s work in prison and peer support networks.

TEiP’s future is a growing, international network of events, where people connect and open each other’s minds.

LONDON EVENTS

  • PORTOBELLO

    The pub where it all began! We meet here once a month on Friday evenings. If the weather is good, we sometimes relocate to nearby Hyde Park.

    100 people max.

    JOIN US

  • ST PANCRAS

    A one-of-a-kind pub situated half in St Pancras International Train Station and half in the iconic St Pancras Renaissance Hotel. You won’t find a better connected pub!

    40 people max.

    JOIN US

  • FITZROVIA

    A historic pub in the heart of Fitzrovia. We meet here for TEiP DEEP (the smaller group).

    20 people max.

    JOIN US

  • BATTERSEA

    A pub that really gets the spirit of TEiP, so much so that they reached out and invited us to hold events in their private room.

    40 people max.

    JOIN US

  • IN THE PARK

    Fair weather events in Regents Park.

    Unlimited capacity :-)

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  • COLLABORATIONS

    Pop up events in thought provoking locations around London. Art Galleries, Museums, Universities, Innovative Cafés, Libraries, (etc.)…

    We’d love to hear your ideas for future events!

    GET IN TOUCH

THE WIDER NETWORK

  • BERLIN

    TEiP Berlin is hosted by Dirk Feibingler, who was handed the baton by Aino Kivinen in 2025. Aino came to several early TEiP events in London. When she moved to Berlin, she missed these conversations and wanted to share them with more people, so she set up TEiP Berlin.

    Dirk, already the host of his own community, enjoyed Aino’s TEiP meetups, so when she had to stop hosting, he volunteered to keep the community going. Together, Dirk and Aino have been running TEiP Berlin for 3 years :-)

    TEiP BERLIN
  • HERTFORDSHIRE

    HERTFORDSHIRE

    Sharda Dean is an active member of TEiP London, has written original thought experiments for TEiP events and attended over 15 sessions. She loves TEiP so much, she has expanded the network to Hertfordshire, where she lives. Her events are held in a beautiful pub, The Old Manor, part of a 13th century manor house in the heart of Potters Bar.

    TEiP HERTFORDSHIRE

  • VIENNA

    TEiP Vienna is loading! I’m very excited about this one because it will bring together two traditions of thoughtful public dialogue.

    READ MORE

  • HOST IN YOUR CITY

    TEiP is a delight to host. You get to meet new people, provide much needed opportunities for connection and contemplation, and over time create a community.

    The TEiP format is tried and tested, as are plenty of thought experiments, so it’s easy to get started.

    To make it even easier, I’ve written a comprehensive hosting guide based on all my experiences and set up a few opportunities for hosts to get together and share learning.

    If you’re interested in setting up your own group and becoming part of the network, there’s lots more information about how you can do that with either a FREE or PAID license here:

    MORE INFO

  • INSPIRED

    THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS IN PUBS has inspired several spin off events.

    For example: Nicole Forrester set up “Thought Experiments on Patios” in Austin Texas in 2026 after attending several of the original London events in 2023. She plans to adapt the original concept and evolve in a new direction, but the core idea is drawn from Thought Experiments in Pubs London.

    It has been heartening to see how popular the TEiP concept has been in new environments, creating the same snowball effect as in 2023 when TEiP founder, Bonny Astor hosted the first event of this kind.

    Read more about the evolution of TEiP and TEiP inspired events here:

    UPDATES

How TEiP works:

  1. We meet in nice pubs (and places with the same relaxed, open spirit as a pub)

  2. We set the tone for laid-back, respectful discussions.

  3. We use thought experiments (imaginary scenarios) as conversational jumping off points. They help make abstract questions tangible and get us straight into unusual conversations.

  4. We welcome tangents, anecdotes, and edits to the original parameters.

  5. Every 25-30 minutes, we shuffle groups and move on to the next thought experiment so that there’s more opportunity for connection and new ideas.

  6. Everyone is welcome. The more perspectives, the richer the conversations.

The effect:

Interested in hosting TEiP events?

Here’s all the info:

HOSTING TEiP

TEiP on Instagram:

@thoughtexperimentsinpubs

Newsletter (etc.) on:

SUBSTACK

  • This was a fantastic interactive event. The host created a warm atmosphere for attendees. The content was delivered exactly as promised —sparking debates and challenging the way we think about life and our own morals. Engaging in discussions with adults from diverse backgrounds allowed us to explore different perspectives while also enhancing our communication skills. I would definitely attend again! Thank you for organizing such a thought-provoking event!

    Baran, Thought Experiments in Pubs Group Member

  • I had a great time, met interesting people, very enjoyable with people who have different perspectives and a shared curiosity.

    P, THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS IN PUBS GROUP MEMBER

  • Thank you for the great event! Amazing what can come up in the conversations

    L, THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS IN PUBS GROUP MEMBER

  • This group is a gold mine for anyone who is extremely curious and loves to deep dive into hypotheticals. It’s not about proving a point, but exploring the endless possibilities of “what if”. The community are incredibly welcoming, full of diverse individuals eager to share and listen. It’s fascinating to hear ideas that challenge your own, expanding your perspective in ways you hadn’t imagined. Bonny has done a great job of building an intellectual oasis in the centre of London every two weeks!

    Alex, THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS IN PUBS attendee

  • Great host and event as always

    Nicola, THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS IN PUBS GROUP MEMBER

  • It's been an absolute pleasure hosting Bonny for her regular gatherings at the Fitzroy Tavern. We always look forward to welcoming her Thought's Experiments in Pubs group each time, and it's been wonderful to see the strong rapport and community aspect you bring to our pub. Bonny's group is always respectful, friendly, and a joy to serve, making it easy for our team to provide excellent service. We truly appreciate Bonny's continued support and are grateful for the opportunity to be part of her regular meet ups. We look forward to many more great times together!

    Finn - Manager at THE FITZROY TAVERN

  • Very enjoyable discussions re Identity - lots of thought provoking queries. Great, per normal.

    B, THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS IN PUBS GROUP MEMBER

  • With so many varied minds and so much interaction it was fascinating and went well beyond any conversation I have ever had in a pub - the evening was worthwhile, it was both engrossing and stimulating

    Anne, THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS IN PUBS attendee

  • The perfect event for stimulating conversation and meeting people. The host was really lovely and kind

    K, THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS IN PUBS GROUP MEMBER

  • What could be better than an evening in a pub with a group of interesting diverse people, talking and debating thought provoking subjects. This made all the better as it is run by Bonny who is warm, open and friendly. The idea that we bypass small talk which can be boring, and get to have fun sharing our thoughts and ideas but also learning as you hear other's opinions. Quite frankly well done for starting something special...the huge number of attendees speaks volumes.

    J, THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS IN PUBS attendee

  • Thought Experiments in Pubs is one of my favourite groups. Bonny is a kind person who brings a lot of positive energy to all the events. She also has the strength of character to do the hard work of running a large group. Each event is well organised and there are also a number of well-run WhatsApp groups. All this means that lots of interesting people are attracted to the events. The conversations are deep, but not too earnest: the intention is to get something positive from the experience. The new, second, location is excellent as it is more central and quieter. Again Bonny has made the effort to find a sensible venue.

    Neil, THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS IN PUBS attendee

  • Always a pleasure to share interesting ideas with friendly people in a warm pub setting!

    Nic, THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS IN PUBS GROUP MEMBER

  • Very well organised and facilitated. I would recommend this event to those interested in meeting new people who want good conversation.

    Rashid, THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS IN PUBS GROUP MEMBER