Crosshaven woman 'floored' by visit from Michael Bublé to her Hamburg pub

A Crosshaven woman’s dream came true on St Patrick’s Day when singer-songwriter Michael Bublé dropped into her pub in Hamburg for a quick pint to wish her well.

Audrey Leeves said she “absolutely got the shock of her life.” 

“If you told me on Friday morning when I woke up that Michael Bublé would be walking into my pub and drinking a pint of Guinness with me, I would have said no way,” she told The Echo.

Unknown to Audrey, the meeting had been set up by Mr Bublé’s crew after she tweeted him during a live Q&A last April. The Canadian singer was announcing he was going on tour with his new album.

During his interaction with the public, Audrey sent in a question hoping that Hamburg was on his tour list. She told him that if it was, he had to come to her Fleetenkieker Irish pub for a pint.

“He replied to me. He said, ‘Hi I would love to come to Hamburg on the tour, and if we do, I will definitely come to your little Irish pub for a Guinness,” said Audrey. “I thought no more about it. In September he announced all his tour dates, and I saw that Hamburg was going to be on Paddy’s Day. I thought, ‘this pint might be actually a reality after all’.” 

“The person from the tour telling me that the band was coming for me on the Friday: that would never happen. It was him all along. They decided to do it about a month ago. They were watching my social media posts, every time I tagged him. They compiled a tiktok video. He did a Facebook video about me as well and his visit to the pub. It was set up as a surprise for me.” 

During the week, one of his entourage booked a table for an hour or two for some of the band members to come by and have a Guinness. “I reserved one of our little snugs. Three o’clock came and they didn’t come, 3.30pm came and they didn’t come. Four o’clock came. I thought that would be the nearest I’d ever get to Bublé,” said Audrey.

Shortly afterwards, one of the waiters announced that a “Mike” was at the door for her.

“I didn’t know any Mike. So I washed my hands and came out. I came through the door and turned around and there he was, with his arms in the air going ‘Happy Paddy’s Day Audrey’.” Mr Bublé was on the way to the arena where he was playing that night as part of a tour. He had one pint and stayed for about 20 minutes.

Audrey is one of his biggest fans, and has been to many of his shows over the years. 

His team presented the idea to him to come and visit me, and he loved it. He said ‘yes, I remember tweeting this girl. I’m a man of my word so I’ll come and have that pint with her’.” 

“He was one of the humblest, loveliest fellas. All of his team were so nice. He really is a great guy.” 

Audrey said she was “absolutely floored” by the visit. 

A fluent German speaker, Audrey left Crosshaven 29 years ago, and took over the running of the bar five years ago, after her father retired. It employs 14 people.