Niall Horan, the former One Direction star, recently confessed to a rather extravagant home improvement regret: building a fully-fledged pub in his £10 million London mansion. What began as a solution to a frustrating local custom has turned into a surprisingly persistent problem.
The idea stemmed from a simple annoyance – London pubs close early. During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Horan explained that the 11pm closing times left him with a house full of guests with nowhere else to go. He envisioned a basement pub as the perfect solution, a place to continue the evening’s festivities privately.
However, the reality proved… complicated. “It has to be the worst idea I’ve ever had,” Horan admitted with a laugh. The pub, complete with a piano, inadvertently created a perpetual party atmosphere. Guests, accustomed to later hours, simply didn’t want to leave.
Horan developed a subtle eviction strategy. “I do have a little side entrance where I can just ferry people out of the house,” he revealed. His technique? A simple flick of the lights and a silencing of the music. It seems even a pop star needs a discreet way to end a gathering.
The basement pub has also proven to be a surprisingly fertile ground for songwriting. Horan confessed to composing “a few drunken songs that haven’t made the airways” within its walls, hinting at a creative, if slightly chaotic, space.
Interestingly, the mansion itself holds another significant story for Horan. He met his girlfriend, Amelia Wooley, at a dinner party hosted at the house – an event that ultimately inspired the name of his new album, *Dinner Party*. He described her arrival as a last-minute addition, a fortunate coincidence that blossomed into a six-year relationship.
Horan playfully admitted his hosting skills weren’t always refined, likely relying on delivery services rather than elaborate cooking. But he acknowledges a marked improvement over the years, a testament to the evolving comfort and connection he’s found within his home.
Wooley, a fashion buyer and marketing professional, has become a significant source of inspiration for his music. He affectionately calls her his “muse,” revealing she even shed tears upon hearing some of the new album’s tracks. Their relationship, he says, is built on mutual support and shared downtime.
Despite their busy lives, Horan and Wooley embrace a surprisingly relaxed pace. They’re “big procrastinators,” often spending entire weekends simply enjoying each other’s company within the walls of their London home – even with a fully functional pub in the basement.
*Dinner Party* is set for release, and Horan is preparing for a European tour, eager to bring the album’s energy to the stage. He expressed his excitement about connecting with fans and sharing the music that was crafted with the live experience in mind.
