Ed Sheeran is rarely short of surprises — but few might have predicted he’d one day become a pub owner in his own backyard. In an episode of Call Her Daddy with host Alex Cooper, he opened up on everything from his Anglo-Irish roots to his love of American culture — and of course, the very personal reason behind building a pub in the garden of his house in England.
By now, many know Sheeran’s story: from busking on streets to topping charts, he’s become one of the defining singer-songwriters of his generation. But in that same podcast conversation, he made clear that his musical ambitions still wrestle with heritage, genre expectations and the urge for normalcy amid celebrity life.
When Cooper asked whether, after years living in Nashville, he’d ever consider making a full country album, Sheeran paused and replied, “My heritage is anglo-irish. I grew up with irish trad music in my household so I’d have to bring that into country. It’s all the same instruments really.” The idea resonated — he added, “I’ve made country songs in the past, they’ve just never come out.” The implication is that if he ventured into country, it would be a deeply personal, hybrid sound, not a genre leap without roots.
Throughout the episode, his affection for American life also shone. “Do rodeos tour? I would go on a rodeo tour, for like 4 weeks,” he declared, before listing a few more loves: ranch dressing, baseball games and Five Guys. For a Brit whose catalogue has tended toward pop, folk and acoustic sensibility, those tastes underscore how much the U.S. has influenced him — even if he carries himself with a British/Irish musical identity.
But perhaps the moment that most captures Sheeran’s pursuit of authenticity came when Cooper asked about the pub he built in his garden. He explained: “There’s a local pub I used to go to. You can never really let lose the way you used to in my teenage years.” As he put it, once word spread that he frequented that local pub, he could no longer drink a pint without managing fans or watching his behaviour: “anything can happen.” So, he took matters into his own hands — literally.
He revealed the pub is called the Lancaster Lock, a name that pays tribute to his mother’s maiden name and his wife’s mother’s maiden name. He transformed a dilapidated barn on his property, acquiring a vintage counter and shelving from eBay, and weaving in more than just a bar. “There’s a tunnel to it,” Sheeran said, “in the tunnel, there’s a listening room and there’s a cinema.” He joked that it’s “less of a man cave and more of a man catacombs.”
That space isn’t just for parties — though those happen, too (in his words, he throws “ragers,” often for five to twelve people). The pub has become a kind of memorabilia hub, housing guitars, signed jerseys, movie props and more. It’s a place where he can retreat and share with friends, away from prying eyes. He also explained the deeper emotional impulse behind it: “You can never really let loose the way that you used to … there’s certain moments you just want to spend with your family and not have someone filming you while you’re doing it.”
And then there’s the holiday magic: each winter Sheeran builds a chapel on his land, and “we do Christmas carols there. After that everybody comes in for mulled wine and mince pies.” The Lancaster Lock pub becomes the perfect post-carol gathering spot, a warm, intimate space for those closest to him.
@callherdaddy Full @Ed Sheeran ♬ original sound – Call Her Daddy
Ed Sheeran’s rise is the stuff of modern musical legend. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire in 1991, he spent his early years in Framlingham, Suffolk. After years of relentless gigging in Dublin, London and beyond, his breakthrough came with the album + (“Plus”) in 2011, featuring hits like “The A Team” and “Lego House.” He followed it with × (“Multiply”), ÷ (“Divide”), and = (“Equals”), each album solidifying his status as a chart juggernaut globally.
Sheeran’s appeal lies in his songwriting craft — raw, confessional lyrics over simple but effective melodies — which lets him traverse folk, pop, acoustic and ballad styles. He’s also a collaborator: he’s written with and for artists across genres, from pop and hip hop to more acoustic acts.
But he’s also careful about authenticity. In the podcast, he talked frankly about his relationship with expectations and exposure. He acknowledged that sometimes his genre choices might not land, but he maintains a rule: he must believe in what he’s making. That careful curation, combined with relentless touring and audience connection, has allowed him to sustain success without selling out.
Sheeran is also someone who resists losing control of his personal life to fame. His building of the Lancaster Lock reflect a desire for spaces he can inhabit fully — as husband, father, friend — without the public always watching. While his career may take him to stadiums, multiple continents, and collaborations with megastars, these private enclaves anchor him.
His affinity for American culture — rodeos, baseball, ranch dressing, fast food chains — reveals how he finds inspiration beyond British and Irish norms. Yet his rejection of a pure country pivot underscores that he won’t abandon his roots. Instead, he wants to find ways they can coexist.
At 34, with multiple diamond-selling hits, an intensely loyal fan base, and a reputation for honesty, Ed Sheeran is beyond being a phenomenon — he’s a modern standard. But it’s the pub in his garden, the chapel at Christmas, and the longing to recapture teenage liberty that offer the most human snapshot. He builds not just music, but habitat.
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