This British pub renovation sim is a slice of life in the Midlands

“In this game, your grandad is my real grandad, and he’s trying to cheer you up after you’ve bought your first, but very crap, car.” That’s how solo indie dev Jack Somers, aka NoahsArkGames, introduces Nothing Ever Happens Here in an Instagram video.

This incredibly British slice-of-life sim is set in Burntwood, a real town in southern Staffordshire and not too far north of Birmingham, in 2011. You’re in charge of rebuilding The Bell End (heh) pub after your grandad gets stripped of his license to sell alcohol, and must “rebuild the pub room by room,” according to the Steam page description.

That’s not all you’re doing though. Inspired by My Summer Car, you must get your first vehicle on the road and explore Burntwood with your friends. You’re only 18, after all, so there’s a whole wide world outside of those four walls. In a Discord conversation, Somers explained to me that he’s planning to implement a Grand Theft Auto 4-style friendship system:

“Perhaps you can go fishing with your best mates, Ben and Harry, down the canals, or organise a pool night at The Bell End with Bradley. I like the Cousin Roman element… you’re out cruising in your car when you get a call from your granddad, telling you to get down to the pub quickly because there’s a pub brawl happening.”

While Nothing Ever Happens Here isn’t a complete retelling of Somers’ life, he told me plenty of it is loosely inspired by his adventures. He detailed troublesome times, including being visited by the police when he was 17, getting kicked out of university, and running away from home multiple times. The player won’t experience those things directly, but he said it’s akin to the arc that he wants the player to go through. “Progress from a low point to somewhere higher,” he described it as.

“The narrative will cover themes of loneliness, isolation, the plight of the working class, British subcultures in 2011, coming of age… the core of the story is redemption. Your grandad is disappointed and appears cold, but he wants the best for you,” Somers’ explained. By doing up the pub and restoring it to its former glory, you’ll have the opportunity to make your granddad proud.

Nothing Ever Happens Here is coming to Steam early access in 2027, but you can get involved early by joining the Discord server. Additionally, the developer is aiming to have a demo out for Steam Next Fest later this year.