The pub, which will be located in east London, will only open its doors for one hour each week as part of his new Channel 4 series, The Lycett Arms.
During its brief weekly opening, the comedian will serve drinks and host guests across the six-part series.
Lycett said, “I’ve always wanted to run a pub that only exists for an hour a week, for the purposes of a TV concept, and I’m thrilled beyond words to embark on the extended process of applying for a licence to sell and serve alcohol.
“Filling in government-mandated paperwork has always been a passion of mine, and I only hope that at some point it involves the presentation of at least one form of photographic ID.
“Pretty much the only disappointment is that in addition to this enthralling form-filling process, I will also have to make a television series, as this is apparently the only way to make the whole tax dodge work.”
The six-part series will air on Channel 4, with the pub operating live during each episode.
As part of the show, Lycett will need to complete training and obtain a personal licence to serve alcohol, including earning a Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders.
Each episode will feature a celebrity “pub manager” and will pair The Lycett Arms with a real pub somewhere else in the UK.
Tom Beck, head of live events and commissioning editor of entertainment and reality at Channel 4, said: “Enticing Joe Lycett back onto Channel 4 screens has been a long and arduous process, involving months of delicate negotiations, emotional resilience and, in the end, the promise of legally binding admin.
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“Thankfully, Joe’s appetite for bureaucracy remains undimmed, and we are delighted that he has agreed to spend Friday nights running a pub that is open for one hour a week, while also reluctantly making what we are legally obliged to describe as a brilliant new live entertainment series.”
The Lycett Arms will air Fridays at 10pm on Channel 4 later this year.
Will you be visiting The Lycett Arms? Let us know in the comments.
