The Public Luxury Podcast

At a time of soaring food prices and rising inequality, it’s striking that Britain once had a national network of public restaurants—and has almost entirely forgotten it. During WWII, British Restaurants fed millions with good quality, affordable meals—about £1.50 in today’s money. There were over 2,000 of these state-subsidised dining rooms across the country, serving everyone, not just the poor....

From Helsinki’s awe-inspiring Oodi Library to Red Vienna’s communal laundries and Argentina’s social tourism, this episode asks how luxury might look when it’s shared, not gated. We talk with Professor Helen Hester and the authors of Öffentlicher Luxus about reimagining comfort, care, and culture as common goods—from lidos and libraries to maker spaces, nurseries, and truly great public transport....

In this opening episode, we introduce Universal Basic Services (UBS): a transformative vision for a society where everyone has unconditional access to life’s essentials. We explore the principles behind UBS, its origins in policy, and how it’s being trialled across the UK—from digital inclusion and food delivery to low-carbon mobility. Through conversations with scholars, policy experts, and local...